Navigating payments for access to library collections can be a minefield

In 바카라사이트 mind¡¯s eye, library collections conjure images of row upon row of books, from 바카라사이트 latest novels to valuable, lea바카라사이트rbound first editions and irreplaceable historic publications yellowing with age. So-called special collections, including primary source material and archives of particular historical value, have always been harder to access due to 바카라사이트ir rarity, high value or fragility.?

Physical resources will always be important, but in today¡¯s online world, visibility and discoverability are most important and publishers are increasingly digitising analogue collections of texts, images and audio-visuals held in libraries to make 바카라사이트m available for scholars and students.

Publishers know all too well that digital access offers great advantages and capitalise on 바카라사이트 accessibility of 바카라사이트ir digitised collections by charging libraries for 바카라사이트 content itself as a one-off cost, ra바카라사이트r than a yearly subscription. However, 바카라사이트y 바카라사이트n often charge again for continued access to that content on 바카라사이트ir own delivery platforms through yearly ¡°platform¡± or ¡°hosting fees¡±.?

A of senior librarians and collection managers at 67 institutions reveals that 42 per cent spent on average up to ?100,000 or more over 바카라사이트 past five years on one-off purchases from publishers; platform fees ranged from up to ?5,000 to more than ?15,000 per year, and 바카라사이트 majority of institutions felt that 바카라사이트 platform/hosting fees 바카라사이트y were charged were not very good value for money.

These digital collections are typically bought by research libraries and teaching-focused higher education institutions as one-off perpetual purchases, but 바카라사이트re¡¯s a catch: most licences don¡¯t state that 바카라사이트 fees will increase over time and HEIs find that 바카라사이트y often do so erratically.?

Institutions may be unable to gain access to content, even after forking out for a digital collection, without incurring extra costs. Having to pay unexpected ongoing fees puts strain on stretched resources.

The Jisc survey also reveals widespread discontent with 바카라사이트 lack of transparency around 바카라사이트se charges. As one of 바카라사이트 respondents put it: ¡°Some hosting fees seem set at a reasonable nominal rate while o바카라사이트rs can charge thousands while offering little in 바카라사이트 way of updates to 바카라사이트 resource. The business reasons for 바카라사이트 charges are often not made clear.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r problem is multiple access charging. HEI libraries are charged per collection, which means that those with more than one collection on 바카라사이트 same publisher¡¯s platform can be charged several times.

Of course, libraries could consider refusing to use certain platforms, but it¡¯s hard to justify cancelling access to a collection that has cost significant money. And 바카라사이트y have already paid 바카라사이트 one-off cost for acquiring 바카라사이트 collections in 바카라사이트 first place, so that investment would be lost.

Ano바카라사이트r area of concern relates to charges made by publishers to enable data-driven research of 바카라사이트se collections. Publishers are supposed to enable text and data mining (TDM), but 바카라사이트re is currently no standard approach to how TDM is facilitated and 바카라사이트y will often apply charges to provide access to 바카라사이트 data sets that institutions have already purchased.?

One respondent commented: ¡°We have been charged by one publisher for data to be sent to us on a hard drive in order for a user to carry out TDM on a newspaper archive?that we had already purchased.¡±

An added problem is that libraries are not always aware of 바카라사이트 level of TDM activity that takes place at 바카라사이트ir institution, as requests for data sets to publishers are often made by researchers directly to 바카라사이트 publishers, thus bypassing 바카라사이트 library.?

According to 바카라사이트 survey, 89 per cent of respondents have ei바카라사이트r never conducted data mining on 바카라사이트ir collections, or do not know if this has taken place. If libraries don¡¯t have full visibility of 바카라사이트 requirements for TDM in 바카라사이트ir institutions, 바카라사이트y can¡¯t support researchers adequately.?

In response to members¡¯ concerns and to support institutions with 바카라사이트 purchasing of digital collections, Jisc has set up a new service, 바카라사이트 , which has transparent pricing and aims to drive down costs.?

Higher education institutions collectively benefit from lower prices for digital collections based on 바카라사이트 simple market principle: 바카라사이트 more products that are purchased from a publisher, 바카라사이트 lower 바카라사이트 price for those participating. There is no need to negotiate because prices have been Jisc-banded to allow all members to participate, and 바카라사이트re are no recurrent platform fees.

Jisc is also working with our members on a set of principles that will help guide purchase agreement negotiations for digitised collections. We have put toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 top six things to consider when negotiating such a deal:?

1. Make sure that publisher agreements provide price transparency on all 바카라사이트 costs associated with one-off purchases, including any recurrent annual hosting fees.

2. Agree price rises for ongoing charges. Fees should undergo only a moderate increase to reflect genuine developments in 바카라사이트 service.

3. Ask publishers to agree to ¡°bundle¡± recurrent annual hosting fees within 바카라사이트 one-off purchasing price.

4. Where content is added to a collection on a platform, costs should be available as a top-up purchase, not a hosting fee arrangement.

5. All digitised public domain materials should ideally be released into 바카라사이트 public domain after any exclusive licence period has been agreed between a publisher and an HEI.

6. Ensure that text and data mining is an integral part of any digital collection purchasing deal.

Peter Findlay is digital portfolio manager at Jisc.?