The Politics of e-access and The Politics of e-access and e-funding in the Library e-funding in the Library

environmentenvironment

Jill Taylor-Roe, Newcastle University Library Jill Taylor-Roe, Newcastle University Library Jill.Taylor-Roe@ncl.ac.ukJill.Taylor-Roe@ncl.ac.uk

UKSG Managing E-Resources Seminar 27 Oct 2005UKSG Managing E-Resources Seminar 27 Oct 2005

Topics to be coveredTopics to be covered

Funding of Library ResourcesFunding of Library Resources Stock SelectionStock Selection Management and ExploitationManagement and Exploitation Staffing Staffing Future TrendsFuture Trends Summary Summary

In the beginning…In the beginning…

Budgets for print based resources: Budgets for print based resources: Journals = recurrent = may be reviewed Journals = recurrent = may be reviewed

on an annual basison an annual basis Monographs = non-recurrent = more Monographs = non-recurrent = more

flexibleflexible Miscellaneous = e.g. AV, CD-ROM, MapsMiscellaneous = e.g. AV, CD-ROM, Maps Balance varied according to type of library.Balance varied according to type of library.

How is funding managed?How is funding managed?

By FormatBy Format By Administrative Unit or Cost CentreBy Administrative Unit or Cost Centre By BudgetholderBy Budgetholder CentrallyCentrally DevolvedDevolved Mixed Economy!Mixed Economy!

Characteristics of Funding in the Characteristics of Funding in the print environmentprint environment

Usually item level attributionUsually item level attribution Costs may be shared across cost centres/ Costs may be shared across cost centres/

admin units/budget codesadmin units/budget codes Generally easy to assign items by format if Generally easy to assign items by format if

desireddesired Mixture of recurrent and one-off Mixture of recurrent and one-off

expenditure expenditure Minimal VATable expenditureMinimal VATable expenditure

Let there be E…Let there be E…

E-journals, E-docsE-journals, E-docs E-Databases – cd-rom, then webE-Databases – cd-rom, then web E-Books – Encyclopedias, Reference E-Books – Encyclopedias, Reference

Books, TextbooksBooks, Textbooks E-Datasets – Human Genome Project, E-Datasets – Human Genome Project,

Research Databases, Experimental DataResearch Databases, Experimental Data

New Ways of Packaging InformationNew Ways of Packaging Information

Big Deals – by publisher Big Deals – by publisher Subject ClustersSubject Clusters Book Collections – e.g. ORO, XreferBook Collections – e.g. ORO, Xrefer Multi year dealsMulti year deals Huge growth in recurrent vs one-off Huge growth in recurrent vs one-off

expenditureexpenditure Significant Increase in VATable Significant Increase in VATable

expenditureexpenditure

Funding Solutions?Funding Solutions?

Re-allocate resources from traditional fundsRe-allocate resources from traditional funds Create new funding structuresCreate new funding structures Bid for new money – one off or recurrentBid for new money – one off or recurrent Use contingency to fund experimentsUse contingency to fund experiments Stick with what you know and hope the problemStick with what you know and hope the problem goes away?!goes away?!

What we did at NewcastleWhat we did at Newcastle

Bid for project funds - £100K pa for Bid for project funds - £100K pa for ejournals, £25K pa for e-booksejournals, £25K pa for e-books

Created new general funds – e.g. Created new general funds – e.g. ejourmaingref for “big deals”ejourmaingref for “big deals”

Created new e-cost centres to match to Created new e-cost centres to match to print codes and moved some funding print codes and moved some funding acrossacross

Negotiated with Academic Schools for Negotiated with Academic Schools for additional fundsadditional funds

ChallengesChallenges

Takes time to make cases for extra moneyTakes time to make cases for extra money Much harder to cost library provision at Much harder to cost library provision at

cost centre level esp for journals in Big cost centre level esp for journals in Big DealsDeals

Takes time to edit old budget codes to Takes time to edit old budget codes to reflect new purchasing modelsreflect new purchasing models

Much harder to effect change at micro Much harder to effect change at micro level when tied in to packages and multi yr level when tied in to packages and multi yr dealsdeals

BenefitsBenefits

Project funding allows experiment without Project funding allows experiment without detriment to established expendituredetriment to established expenditure

Additional dialogue with schools has Additional dialogue with schools has increased their awareness of how info increased their awareness of how info resources are priced and packagedresources are priced and packaged

Package deals have effectively doubled Package deals have effectively doubled the size of our journal portfoliothe size of our journal portfolio

Who decides what to buy?Who decides what to buy?

Subject SpecialistSubject Specialist Subject CataloguerSubject Cataloguer Acquisitions LibrarianAcquisitions Librarian End users – Academics, Researchers, End users – Academics, Researchers,

Company staff, Members of the PublicCompany staff, Members of the Public Library CommitteeLibrary Committee

How is it bought?How is it bought?

Individual Library Deal Individual Library Deal Approval PlansApproval Plans Deal brokered via Company HQDeal brokered via Company HQ Regional Purchasing ConsortiumRegional Purchasing Consortium National DealNational Deal International DealInternational Deal

How has purchasing practice changed in the e-How has purchasing practice changed in the e-environment?environment?

(1)(1) More people involved in the purchasing More people involved in the purchasing

decisiondecision Possible loss of local controlPossible loss of local control Takes longer to make purchasing Takes longer to make purchasing

decisions?decisions? Harder to fine tune collection management Harder to fine tune collection management

at micro levelat micro level You may need to factor in software and You may need to factor in software and

equipment costs!!equipment costs!!

How has purchasing practice changed in the e-How has purchasing practice changed in the e-environment?environment?

(2)(2)

User demand often still focussed at micro User demand often still focussed at micro levellevel

Harder to “match” this against prevailing Harder to “match” this against prevailing purchasing modelspurchasing models

New models still emerging – open access- New models still emerging – open access- pay to publishpay to publish

Management of Library Resources: Management of Library Resources: who’s involved?who’s involved?

In traditional print environment: In traditional print environment: LibrarianLibrarian Subject Specialists/Information StaffSubject Specialists/Information Staff Acquisitions StaffAcquisitions Staff Technical Services StaffTechnical Services Staff Reader Services StaffReader Services Staff Bindery Staff? Bindery Staff? Any one else??Any one else??

And where e-resources are And where e-resources are involved?involved?

New Players:New Players: Information Systems Staff Information Systems Staff Legal Eagles – checking and approving licencesLegal Eagles – checking and approving licences Library Managers – dealing with access issuesLibrary Managers – dealing with access issues IT Help desk staff – “I can’t get this journal to IT Help desk staff – “I can’t get this journal to

work on my PC…”work on my PC…” IT staff employed by publisher or vendorIT staff employed by publisher or vendor

And who loses out?And who loses out?

Acquisitions staff – fewer print items to processAcquisitions staff – fewer print items to process Shelvers – fewer print items/vols to shelve and Shelvers – fewer print items/vols to shelve and

tidytidy Issue desk staff – fewer items/vols going out on Issue desk staff – fewer items/vols going out on

loanloan Bindery StaffBindery Staff

NB Changes have hit journals hardest – books NB Changes have hit journals hardest – books still predominantly print, but this will change too.still predominantly print, but this will change too.

Collection ManagementCollection Management

SelectionSelection RelegationRelegation DisposalDisposal Fitness for purpose – meets needs of core Fitness for purpose – meets needs of core

users – e.g. University Staff and Students, users – e.g. University Staff and Students, Company Employees, General PublicCompany Employees, General Public

Key Aspects of Collection Key Aspects of Collection Management in Print EnvironmentManagement in Print Environment

Material tends to be bought outrightMaterial tends to be bought outright Physical items reside in Library – or are Physical items reside in Library – or are

relegated to local or remote Storesrelegated to local or remote Stores Relatively easy to apply specific or general Relatively easy to apply specific or general

focus – e.g. to expand or contract a focus – e.g. to expand or contract a particular subject area or resource formatparticular subject area or resource format

Space (or lack of it) can be a key driverSpace (or lack of it) can be a key driver

Collection Management of E-Collection Management of E-Resources (1)Resources (1)

Tend to be annual lease rather than outright Tend to be annual lease rather than outright purchasepurchase

Resources reside on publishers/aggregators Resources reside on publishers/aggregators servers or in repositoriesservers or in repositories

What happens to previously subscribed content What happens to previously subscribed content if you cancel?if you cancel?

What happens when publisher sells e-content What happens when publisher sells e-content and it leaves the package you were subscribing and it leaves the package you were subscribing to?to?

Collection Management of E-Collection Management of E-Resources (2)Resources (2)

Disposal of print back runs may require Disposal of print back runs may require additional investment in e-versionsadditional investment in e-versions

Should we/Can we afford to retain print Should we/Can we afford to retain print back runs “just in case”?back runs “just in case”?

Space (or lack of it) can also be a key Space (or lack of it) can also be a key driverdriver

Customer pressure may lead to demand Customer pressure may lead to demand for more extensive backrunsfor more extensive backruns

PromotionPromotion

Print – catalogues, user guides, web Print – catalogues, user guides, web pages?pages?

E-Resources – all of the above – plus…E-Resources – all of the above – plus… Tutorials, (online and face to face)Tutorials, (online and face to face) FAQs, HelpsheetsFAQs, Helpsheets DemosDemos

Staffing: managerial aspectsStaffing: managerial aspects

Existing staff need new skills, esp IT skillsExisting staff need new skills, esp IT skills Regular training/updates are neededRegular training/updates are needed More library staff are involved – good More library staff are involved – good

communication neededcommunication needed More support/services needed from More support/services needed from

agents and other vendorsagents and other vendors Staff profile is changing – implications for Staff profile is changing – implications for

recruitment, budgeting and deployment of recruitment, budgeting and deployment of existing staffexisting staff

Staffing: impact on people (1)Staffing: impact on people (1)

Traditional, familiar tasks may reduce or Traditional, familiar tasks may reduce or disappeardisappear

Jobs may be lostJobs may be lost Staff may feel threatened, undervalued, Staff may feel threatened, undervalued,

lack confidence about the future – lack confidence about the future – supportive management needed!supportive management needed!

Workloads may increase and become Workloads may increase and become more complexmore complex

Staffing: impact on people (2) Staffing: impact on people (2)

Staff can and will become enthusiastic Staff can and will become enthusiastic supporters, promoters and managers of e-supporters, promoters and managers of e-resources…resources…

But it requires considerable investment of But it requires considerable investment of time and resources to achieve this!!time and resources to achieve this!!

May take time before your staffing profile May take time before your staffing profile matches the needs of the e-librarymatches the needs of the e-library

Future TrendsFuture Trends

More e-resources – less printMore e-resources – less print Revised funding models to take account of new Revised funding models to take account of new

publishing models - e.g. OApublishing models - e.g. OA Radical revision of traditional library “footprint” – Radical revision of traditional library “footprint” –

learning café, social learning space etc learning café, social learning space etc Staffing profile reflects growth in resources Staffing profile reflects growth in resources Regional or National Solutions to print legacy Regional or National Solutions to print legacy

question?question? More cross-sectoral activity?More cross-sectoral activity?

SummarySummary

E-resources have radically changed the ways in which E-resources have radically changed the ways in which we acquire, manage and promote library resourceswe acquire, manage and promote library resources

We have had to acquire new skills, new staff ( if we can!) We have had to acquire new skills, new staff ( if we can!) and new strategies to copeand new strategies to cope

Staff workloads have increasedStaff workloads have increased The growth in e-resources has generally been viewed The growth in e-resources has generally been viewed

positively by librarians, but has also been seen as a positively by librarians, but has also been seen as a threat by some staffthreat by some staff

We are still learning how best to manage e-resourcesWe are still learning how best to manage e-resources Emerging technology will undoubtedly require new skillsEmerging technology will undoubtedly require new skills

And finally…remember that:And finally…remember that:

““Change is Constant” (Benjamin Disraeli)Change is Constant” (Benjamin Disraeli) “ ““ “S/He who hesitates is lost “ (Proverbs)S/He who hesitates is lost “ (Proverbs)