Introduction to virtual management.

Hey folks, I jumped the gun a bit with this particular avenue but its so relevant now I just thought I’d throw some of it up. Again the points that the authors seem almost cast in stone so there’s very little input from me.

Introduction to Virtual Management. ((Hoffman & Wood, 2005, p218)
“the virtual collection consists of those materials that the library provides access to without physical ownership.”
“Librarians are writing a new information resources policy, supplementing the traditional collection development policy, to reflect the increased emphasis on access to materials rather than ownership and a place on the shelf. These policies recognize that the virtual collection needs to be developed in a way that is compatible with the print collection”
Do we have to do a separate print policy, how far exactly do we imagine in terms of what we have to have?
Benefits of having a distinct collection policy:(Hoffman & Wood, 2005, p218-219)
“It will serve as guide for choosing one format over another.”
“Help the selector make the best use of limited resources, an can be used to justify selections.”
“when access is provided in a more systematic way then the library is, in effect, saying that it stands behind these resources and they should, therefore, be subject to collection policies.”
“The policy also is used to justify the selection of certain resources, particularly those which have ongoing costs are available in multiple formats.”
“ Because there different implications for free internet resources and those that have a cost, the specific collection development issues will be considered separately.”
Electronic resources acquired through license purchase of subscription. (Hoffman & Wood, 2005, P219)
“Among the selection criteria, the policy should included cost, including the cost difference between different formats, the compatibility of the resource with existing hardware, and predictability of future costs. “
“In the future, delivery of information and licensing/access fees may constitute a major part of the library’s non-personal budget”
“The library is paying for the right to access them electronically. The hardware and software to access the electronic resources must also be planned for. Another component may be fees for commercial document delivery.”


The policy may include specifics on funding these items. There often financial benefits of consortial licensing of virtual resources such as substantial discounts, centralized negotiation and billing, and broader access.

* The virtual collection development policy could define the terms of participation and division of costs, and should describe a procedure for re-evaluating resources that may be dropped from a consortial agreement.
* Whether the organization enters the into a license individually or through a consortium, no license should be signed without scrutiny and most likely some form of negotiation. The policy should define the library user population, because this will be very important when the pricing formula is examined.
* Will the cost be determined by actual users, potential users, number of workstations?
* Who are the users?




No matter how fees are based, the user population may have to be defined and method of delivery specified when negotiating a license for online resources (Hoffman & Wood, 2005, P220)

Here is an a link to the consortium that the national university colleges of Ireland and a few other notables are involved in:

http://www.irelibrary.ie/about.aspx

Considerations for negotiators checklist:(Hoffman & Wood, 2005, p221)
General

* Is this a recommendation or request from patrons?
* Do we have other subscriptions with this vendor?
* Is the Vendor reliable/the product stable?
* Is there a trial period?
* Are terms of license clearly stated?



Content:

* Are the subjects covered wholly or part by existing subscriptions to electronic services?
* Is the product full text? Image database? Numeric? Other?
* Does the library have a print subscription ?
* Are there specific value- added features in electronic version?
* Is the material timely?
* How frequently is the product updated?




IS the database from the public domain?
Have selection tools been consulted for reviews?
For electronic journals, is there a peer review process? Can you identify an editor?

Format:(Hoffman & Wood, 2005, p223)
Here there are so many points it’s not worth mentioning them all. The ones that stand out for me are

* Is the interface easy to use?
* Boolean search capabilities?
* Proximity search capabilities?
* Can search results be downloaded, printed ,e-mailed.


Access:

* Does the license cover expected modes of access? ( i.e. in library, remote log in etc?)
* What kind of authentication is required?
* Are inter library loans permitted?
* Is cataloguing of this exercise recommended ?
* Is document delivery permitted?
* Can material be linked library’s catalogue?
* Does vendor provide usage data?



Archiving

* Will the library need archival rights to this material?
* Are archives and back files available?
* Is it covered by a document delivery service?



Duplication of Existing Print Resources

* Does the resource have significant historical value?
* Is one format unstable?
* Is there a cost benefit for purchasing multiple formats?
* Pricing?
* Are back files available at a one time cost, ongoing cost, or pay-per-use?
* Is consortial pricing available?
* Does the contract include an indemnity from the vendors regarding the intellectual property rights?