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Update No. 2, Pricing and
Economics, to Statement of Current
Perspective and Preferred Practices for the Selection and Purchase of
Electronic Information
The International Coalition of Library Consortia
(ICOLC) announces a second update to its 1998 Statement of Current
Perspective and Preferred Practices for the Selection and Purchase of
Electronic Information. Last updated
in 2001, this Statement continues to address issues vital to libraries at a
time of rapid evolution in the access to electronic information resources.
Now available on the ICOLC web site is the “Update No. 2, Pricing and Economics. It focuses predominantly on crucial financial
topics, while updating and reaffirming the broad goals of library consortia as
expressed in the previous ICOLC statements.
Consortia are very much concerned that the
development of economic models in electronic scholarly publishing continues to
fall far short of the needs of libraries and the communities
that we serve. The cost of information
access continues to grow while library budgets shrink or flatten, and
alternatives to greater and sustainable value continue to be limited. For example, the Update notes that the
transformation to flexible pricing models, as well as to electronic-based
pricing (with print becoming the optional medium), is spotty and incomplete at
best. For example, the highly controversial
“big” or “package’ deals must evolve to permit orderly expansion and
contraction to meet fluctuation or reduction in library budgets. In consultation with library customers,
publishers must develop additional progressive pricing models,
if libraries users are to take advantage of highly functional electronically
produced and delivered information.
Through
this statement, the ICOLC continues to reflect the
dynamic nature of information services to libraries and the need for library
consortia to influence the practices of the vendor community on a global basis.
This update is
initially endorsed by over 50 consortia in 12
countries. More are expected as consortia complete their review and approval processes. The complete Update and endorsers’ list can be found at http://www.library.yale.edu/consortia/2004currentpractices.html . The complete set of original and updated ICOLC Statements and Guidelines with endorsing library consortia and additional information about the ICOLC can be found at http://www.library.yale.edu/consortia .
About the International Coalition of
Library Consortia (ICOLC)
The International Coalition
of Library Consortia (ICOLC) is an informal organization that began meeting in
1997. Comprising over 200 library
consortia across the globe the Coalition represents thousands of member
libraries worldwide. The Coalition
serves primarily higher education institutions by facilitating discussion among
its members on issues of common interest.
ICOLC conducts meetings to keep its members informed about new
electronic information resources, pricing practices of electronic providers and
vendors, and other issues of importance to consortium directors and their
governing boards. These meetings also
provide a forum for consortial representatives to meet with the information
provider community, discuss their products, and engage in a dialog with
Coalition members about issues of mutual concern. The ICOLC also maintains listservs and web
pages for the benefit of its members.
More information
about ICOLC can be found at http://www.library.yale.edu/consortia
or contact
Phone:
614-728-3600, ext. 322;
Email: tom ATohiolink.edu
FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION ABOUT THIS UPDATE PLEASE CONTACT:
In
Beverlee French, Director for Shared Content,
Phone: 510.987-0425
Fax: 510.287-3825
Email: beverlee.french AT
ucop.edu
Arnold Hirshon, Executive Director,
NELINET, Inc.
Phone:
508-597-1934 Fax:
508-460-9455
Email: ahirshon AT
nelinet.net