Are CD-ROMs dead yet?

Lessons from the case of Japanese digital resource

Keiko Yokota-Carter

University of Washington

CD-ROMs are still a major format for Japanese electronic resources.

Requirements for CD-ROMs:

1. Technical issues 2. Budget issues 3. Legal issues 4. Administrative issues

Technical issues1. “Stand alone”• Workstations need specific language settings : special

configuration for language specific code pages, keyboard, and font settings

• Legacy software to run specific products• Need to maintain CD-ROM setting every time the

software changes of “stand alone” terminals• DVD-ROMs require a different technical environment from CD-ROMs ( 2 Yomiuri DVD-ROMS contain 23 CD-ROMs)

2. Network through main server 3. Uncertain life expectancy of product depending

on technical environment4. Availability of technological assistance

CJK CD-ROM stations

SI KU QUAN SHU station 167 discs

Windows 98

Cards

Multi-volume CD-ROM set: Case of Yomiuri newspaper

CD-ROMs

# of discs

Meiji period (1874 - 1912) 39 Taisho period (1912 - 1926) 29 Showa period (1926 - 1945) 57

--------------------------------------------------------------

Total 126

Impossible to have a computer for each multi-volume CD-ROM set

Network on the main server

Networked CD-ROM at the UW

New York Times

through the Information Gateway

Budget issues

a. Product - interlibrary loan specifically prohibited - uncertain life expectancy

b. Network fee to provider c. Equipment and other costs - computers - main server (cost to keep virtual space) - maintenance of hardware and software - administrative labor -- system librarian -- license officer -- librarian as the mediator to negotiate with foreign companies

COST

Yomiuri CD-ROMS 126 discs $20,711Network fee by Yomiuri 2,000Local networking costs (main server) 2,711Student assistant help 490 Ongoing maintenance costs 2,500______________________________________________

Total $26,612 +++

Time spent by : Systems librarian License officer Japanese Studies librarian many, many hours (Trip to Japan $2,000.00)

Number of potential users 32 (12 Japanese studies faculty, 20 graduate students) $832 + / per user

Legal issues

a. License agreement often prohibits interlibrary loan.

b. Different legal procedures and requirements between U.S institutions and Japanese companies.

License agreements : breaking through a stone wall

Japanese products – copyrighted business products

Major issues to negotiate with

Japanese companies are :

Trust from companies Legal Jurisdiction

Penalties, legal costs

Administrative issues

Librarian

Administrative SupportLeadership

budget

Library Systems

Vendor

FacultyStudents

Systems Librarian

License officer

Acce. research issue Life exp. Preserv. ILL cost $ Tech. cost Admi. costEquip.

cost storage

       

print low browsing whole moderate low possible 2642 low low low huge

                     

microfilm low browsing whole Semi high possible 19811 low low moderate moderate

      permanent              

cd-rom high specific search 5? unstable none** 5660 very high very high very high small

                     

Online*(nikkei) high specific search ? unstable none** 11520 moderate very high very high little

Estimate of 8 years worth of Yomiuri product

CD-ROMs are a transitional format. Do we still want them?

or no other choice…

What do we do with

budget?

legal issues?

technical support?

administrative support?

Networking and Leadership