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This article was downloaded by: [University of Washington Libraries] On: 12 July 2010 Access details: Access Details: [subscription number 906873028] Publisher Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 3741 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK The Reference Librarian Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t792306953 The Life Cycle of Digital Reference Sources Lesley S J Farmera a Department of Advanced Studies in Education and Counseling, California State University, Long Beach, CA To cite this Article Farmer, Lesley S J.(2009) 'The Life Cycle of Digital Reference Sources', The Reference Librarian, 50: 2, 117 — 136 To link to this Article: DOI: 10.1080/02763870902755957 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02763870902755957 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.informaworld.com/terms-and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes Any substantial or systematic reproduction, re-distribution, re-selling, loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material The Reference Librarian, 50:117–136, 2009 Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 0276-3877 print/1541-1117 online DOI: 10.1080/02763870902755957 The Life Cycle of Digital Reference Sources 1541-1117 0276-3877 WREF The Reference Librarian, Librarian Vol 50, No 2, February 2009: pp 1–31 LifeS Cycle L J Farmer of Digital Reference Sources LESLEY S J FARMER Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 Department of Advanced Studies in Education and Counseling, California State University, Long Beach, CA Academic libraries increasingly complement print-based reference collections with digitally-based reference for financial and educational reasons However, library collection policies have sometimes lagged behind the technology curve Too often, reference collection management practices have reflected a responsive attitude rather than a responsible, strategic stance Many costs are associated with this service, and intellectual and psychological considerations make these resources a complex set of issues This article examines the life cycle of digital reference sources by focusing on subscription databases: assessment, selection, acquisition, Web presentation and maintenance, archiving and preservation, and de-selection It offers factors to consider because academic librarians must make decisions about these increasingly dynamic collections KEYWORDS digital reference sources, database, academic libraries, collection development “Projects should plan for the life-cycle management of digital resources, including the initial assessment of resources, selection of materials and digital rights management; the technical questions of digitizing all formats; and the long-term issues of sustainability, user assessment, digital asset management and preservation.” (National Initiative for a Networked Cultural Heritage 1999, introduction) Address correspondence to Lesley S J Farmer, California State University, Long Beach, Department of Advanced Studies in Education and Counseling, 1250 Bellflower Boulevard, Long Beach, CA 90840-2201 E-mail: lfarmer@csulb.edu 117 118 L S J Farmer Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 INTRODUCTION Increasingly, academic libraries are migrating from print-based to digitallybased reference collections Publishers are offering more electronic products, often at more attractive prices than for their print editions Librarians realize the benefits of remote access and the possibilities of multiple simultaneous use Concurrently, clientele (particularly millennial students) are demanding convenient online reference tools Nevertheless, library collection policies have sometimes lagged behind the technology curve Too often, reference collection management practices have reflected a reactive attitude rather than a responsible, strategic stance Just as individuals may focus on buying a car from a dealer who offers a great price but forget to think about whether that dealer will service the car well later, so too can academic librarians forget about maintenance and de-selection issues The actual picture of electronic reference resources is not as simple as plugging in a computer and clicking on the Internet connection Many costs are associated with this service, and intellectual and psychological considerations make these resources a complex set of issues This article examines the life cycle of digital reference sources by focusing on subscription databases and offers factors to consider because academic librarians must make decisions about these increasingly dynamic collections OVERVIEW OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCES IN LIBRARIES Traditional reference collections usually focused on print reference sources and access tools, occasionally incorporating serials, such as the monthly Current Biography and Readers’ Guide to Periodical Literature, and binder services, such as Morningstar, to provide timely updates With the advent of microfiche and CD-ROMs, the line between reference access tools and reference sources started to blur, along with the separation of reference and the general collection EBSCO’s index product line reflected the merging of a searchable index and the ultimate source itself Currently, the digital reference collection typically consists of web sites (e.g., http://www.lii.org and http://www.refdesk.com), e-document reference monographs (e.g., http:// www.free-e-books.net/reference.html) and ABC-CLIO’s e-book line and databases, which can refer to several types of reference sources from inhouse customized databases of local resources to article aggregators As early as 2002, nearly half of the undergraduates surveyed used electronic scholarly sources almost exclusively (Friedlander 2002) By that same time, some academic libraries were spending half of their materials budget on electronic resources (Bailey et al., 2003) Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 Life Cycle of Digital Reference Sources 119 Technology has the potential to help all individuals gain physical access to reference materials Thousands of reference resources are available in at least two formats: print and electronic Cost and space enter into the decision, but accessibility is another factor as well Particularly as distance education has become a mainstay of many academic institutions, electronic reference collections help address equity access issues The Digital Accessible Information System Consortium (2005, 1) has developed international open standards for digital resources with the intent that “all published information, at time of release to the general population, be available in an accessible, highly functional, feature rich format and at no greater cost, to persons with print disabilities.” The consortium also provides open-source tools to help publishers and librarians produce and convert material for inclusive use The question of the viability of digital reference collections is moot at this point Indeed, one might consider the validity of print reference collections to be a more salient issue What has changed in the last decade? Greater availability of materials, rising replacement costs, increasing user demand, improved technology, more sophisticated student experiences, and the changing nature of education itself The single issue of educational equity, addressing needs of individuals with special needs as well as distance learners, requires that reference materials be made accessible for an ever broader population For example, the American Psychological Association stopped publishing its 80-year-old print version of Psychological Abstracts in 2006, largely due to the increased cost of printing and the steady migration of subscribers to its digital form, PsycInfo Nevertheless, electronic reference collections have their downside: connectivity and other infrastructure issues, privacy and security dynamics, access and dissemination rights, and vendor problems (e.g., uneven service or company buy-outs) More fundamentally, libraries are left with no documents at all in lean budget times when online subscriptions must be cut; at least with print items, the older materials can still be accessed In that respect, electronic reference collection development might be more accurately labeled reference access development, particularly because few permanent options are offered by vendors Ownership, when copyright does not make it a closed system, becomes trading rights OVERVIEW OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCE MANAGEMENT For more than a decade, academic librarians have been trying to develop systematic practices relative to electronic resource management, from selection to maintenance Probably the most significant effort has been led by the Digital Library Federation’s Electronic Resources Management Initiative Tim Jewell’s seminal 2001 report Selection and Presentation of Commercially Available Electronic Resources: Issues and Practices clearly laid out the Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 120 L S J Farmer issues Keeping in mind the importance of affordability, Jewell asserted that librarians need to base their collection decisions on their values and goal priorities He emphasized the need for coordination and distributed responsibilities Furthermore, understanding the complexity of electronic resource management, Jewell pointed out the need for standard policies and procedures, efficient workflow, and forms to expedite order handling Jewell noted that most integrated library systems could not handle electronic resource presentation and that local systems were trying to build tools to fill the gap In response, he encouraged collaborative efforts to develop technological systems to present electronic resources in a cost-effective and standardized way On an industry scale, Jewell urged open standards to link indexing databases to e-journal collections Seeing the need for coordinated efforts, Jewell and Adam Chandler developed a Web hub to foster communication about local efforts, which led to the establishment of the Electronic Resources Management Initiative In 2004, that body developed a report with the goal of developing “common specifications and tools for managing the license agreements, related administrative information, and internal processes associated with collections of licensed electronic resources” (Jewell et al 2004, 28) It should be noted that this group comprised academic librarians and electronic resource vendors to optimize efforts As a result of this initiative, the Electronic Resources Management Initiative developed drafts of six deliverables: functional requirements of an electronic resource management system, a best-practices workshop diagram, an entity relationship diagram for electronic resource management to show how data elements relate, a data element dictionary, an electronic resource management system data structure to promote standardization, and an investigation into XML use Since the start of the Electronic Resources Management Initiative and other professional discussion, several publications have synthesized best practices and raised further issues Library Technology Reports has published two issues focused on e-journal management; Watson (2003) dealt with sources for e-journals, their acquisition, access to e-journals, and management issues and Geller (2006) noted issues of staffing and workflow, and updated the Electronic Resources Management Initiative’s efforts Gregory’s 2006 revised edition of Selecting and Management Electronic Resources offers how-to-do-it tips on acquisition and management policies and processes Haworth Press has dealt with electronic resource management in several volumes Editor Thomas Leonhardt (2006) included articles on acquisitions and copyright, specifically selection, fair use of electronic reserves, electronic data interchange, and vendors In 2007, Su edited a special issue of The Acquisitions Librarian that addressed several institutional issues: staff reluctance, budgeting, e-journal delivery, indexing quality, the feasibility of going e-only, copyright law, and preservation Life Cycle of Digital Reference Sources 121 THE LIFE CYCLE OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCE MANAGEMENT In dealing with electronic resource management, the concept of electronic resource life cycle has been noted The concept is not new; in 1996, Robek et al explained how records management involved a systemic control from creation or acquisition to maintenance and eventual disposition The main distinctions with electronic resource management include license details, data configuration work, and other technical issues (Jewell et al 2004).The typical life cycle for electronic resource management contains these steps, as outlined by Jewell (2001) and Ex Libris (2008): Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 Pre-planning: Organizational issues Selection policies and strategic plans Institutional finance and organization Acquisitions: Product discovery and trials Internal procedures for initial evaluation and purchases (workflow, tracking, and communication) Licensing: Agreements with vendors and other institutions Processes and policies for license handling Communication with staff and users about permissions and use restrictions Web Presentation: Making holdings visible and accessible to users, including customizable features Linking abstracting and indexing database citations to holdings Usage: 10 User support: communication, instruction, problem-solving 11 Usage information: cost-per-use metrics, etc Maintenance: 12 Information retrieval by library staff for authentification, proxy server setup, supported protocols 122 L S J Farmer 13 Administration of resource properties, troubleshooting downtime incidents/malfunction, dealing with contract breaches Preservation and Archiving 14 Preservation techniques and strategies 15 Archiving procedures 16 Risk management Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 Review: 17 Review and renewal processes 18 Disposition decisions As a concrete example, suppose that the faculty and students at the fictional ABC University request that the library get more resources discussing globalization issues At the pre-planning stage, the library staff reviews its selection policies in light of supporting the university’s mission As they become aware of the institution’s growing interest in internationalizing the curriculum, the ABC librarians decide to strategically acquire more resources in that area because they have few international databases Getting access to current articles via subscription databases is given a high priority, particularly because global developments change constantly Concurrently, a greater proportion of students are distance learners, so the librarians determine that a Web-based solution would make sense Checking the library’s budget, the librarians proceed to the next step: acquisitions In this scenario, the ABC library belongs to a state-wide electronic resources review and purchasing consortium Through professional affiliations and good contacts with publishers, the members keep current about new and changing databases Through this consortium, the ABC librarians can work with the consortium director to discover new relevant products and test them The consortium has been alerted that Congressional Quarterly has expanded its product line to include CQ Global Researcher After creating a request for proposal and contacting the relevant publishers, the consortium director sets up a month-long trial period to allow the ABC library and other consortium libraries to determine the cost-benefit of this database, in compliance with existing selection criteria and policies Based on their examination, 10 consortium members decide to subscribe to CQ Global Researcher At that point, the licensing stage of the cycle begins The consortium director reaches a licensing agreement with the vendor and the interested campuses; with the collective approach, a discounted subscription price can be achieved, which benefits all parties The license handling follows established processes for other Congressional Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 Life Cycle of Digital Reference Sources 123 Quarterly product lines, so information about user rights and restrictions comes as no surprise to the library and campus community Similarly, the Web presentation stage is also straightforward Installation requirements have already been met because of pre-existing subscriptions to CQ Researcher On the other hand, the library hired a new database technician, so she has to consult existing library documentation and contact her peers at other consortium institutions to make sure that expected customizable features are included and that linkages between databases using SFX, an OpenURL application, function correctly The technician sees a memo about Web accessibility, and e-mails the ABC librarian in charge of electronic resources to make sure that the database complies with the new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations; the librarian reassures the technician that ADA compliance is one of the criteria for database selection At the usage stage, the ABC librarians, both the electronic resource coordinator and the relevant subject librarians, announce the availability of CQ Global Researcher to the campus community They demonstrate the product at the Library Advisory Committee meeting to optimize dissemination of information and create an online PowerPoint presentation that can be linked to online course platforms The electronic resources librarian also track usage statistics to make sure that the subscription is worth its access cost CQ Global Researcher enters the maintenance stage because a reference librarian reports that the database went down for several hours The database technician contacts Congressional Quarterly and finds out that its server was being upgraded and experienced a minor glitch The technician logs the incident and sends an e-mail to alert the librarians and letting them that the problem has been resolved If a product has a lengthy log of issues, the technician will contact the electronic resources librarian, who will in turn check with the rest of the consortium to determine the source of problems Cost, usage, and maintenance issues enter the review stage equation when the ABC librarians, and possibly other consortium members, analyze all of the electronic database subscriptions each year Is the cost per use reasonable? Does CQ Global Researcher provide value-added service as evidenced by usage and feedback from the campus community? Are other consortium members interested in acquiring CQ Global Researcher, which might result in lower per-site subscription costs? Fortunately, Congressional Quarterly is a solid, long-standing publisher Nevertheless, the ABC Library and its consortium members should think about the preservation and archiving stage of the electronic resource cycle Fortunately, ABC University is part of a larger university system, which has a Risk Management office and established procedures Their emergency response service includes a section about salvaging and restoring electronic documents The licensing agreement also has provisions for disasters, a “boilerplate” section that is included in every consortium agreement Nevertheless, ABC University practices those emergency procedures, and the 124 L S J Farmer librarians realize that they need to teach new hirees, especially the database technician, what to in a crisis As for preservation, the current budget precludes such discussion Most ABC librarians know about LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe), but the system has not joined that alliance It’s one more issue to think about From this concrete example, general practices can be considered as detailed below Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 ASSESSMENT OF RESOURCES In the case of academic libraries, curricular needs usually constitute the core criterion in assessing digital reference collections because libraries need to support their institutions’ missions As such, assessment should be done collaboratively with the rest of the academic community to identify reference needs and resource gaps Curriculum development usually involves identifying relevant resources, although reference materials are seldom considered Ideally, the involvement of academic subject librarians should be required to optimize access to significant reference resources Thus, assessment of resources should constitute a part of campus-wide strategic planning This task, however, is two-edged because many teaching faculty not have a broad knowledge of electronic resources In some cases, faculty will need to be trained in their use (and usefulness) by the librarian to optimize the expenditure In other cases, faculty may remember university collections and suggest older databases such as Public Affairs Information Service, which is now available only in digital format and has changed publishing hands from OCLC to Cambridge Scientific Abstracts/ProQuest Similarly, Chemical Abstracts has become subsumed by the electronic database SciFinder Students should also participate in this assessment because they constitute the vast majority of potential users and may have prior experience using electronic reference sources Academic librarians also have to consider the language ability of their clientele; thus, multimedia sites are attractive because students can access the information using visual and sound cues alongside text Fortunately, most vendors allow librarians to preview their products by using a time-sensitive guest password; academic librarians can then publicize the potential electronic resource and have the academic community assess its value Of course, librarians need to assess their current reference collections, noting the impact of different formats Librarians also have to weigh full-text databases against citation databases; most librarians opt for full text because the two-step process of finding the citation and then locating the periodical can frustrate their users Additionally, space constraints also makes online periodical databases an attractive solution; most academic libraries subscribe to few print periodicals except for general news titles (e.g., Newsweek Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 Life Cycle of Digital Reference Sources 125 and Wall Street Journal) and high-interest browsing titles (e.g., Sports Illustrated and Chronicle of Higher Education), and even those titles are more likely to be accessed online than in print anymore Of course, such a decision may backfire if funding is scarce and online subscriptions have to be curtailed; the library is then left with a dearth of periodicals, either in terms of ownership or access Libraries have nothing to show for their years of access fees, particularly if vendor agreements prohibit librarians from downloading databases or not guarantee permanent access This selection issue is exacerbated by the increasingly stringent royalty parameters and the increasing cost of subscriptions, although these are somewhat mitigated by the equally strong rise in Open Source initiatives and the Creative Commons whereby periodical publishers have decided to make their publications accessible to academia in support of research (e.g., LibWorm) Nevertheless, because academic library budgets may fluctuate, only the highest-use and non-duplicative resources are likely to be selected Academic librarians look for products that span subject areas and formats, such as Academic Search Elite and ScienceDirect, particularly when subscription fees are based on total student population rather than the number of students in a specific program The molecular gastronomy professor who asks for a Russian database for his student population of ten may need to rely on interlibrary services For that reason, academic librarians also need to assess the availability of digital reference sources at other campuses, either within their system or with libraries with which they have well-established interlibrary agreements Just as reference service may be two-tiered, with highly specialized queries being referred to particular reference experts, so too might highly specialized digital references such as non-Western language subject matter be collected by one designated institution with the proviso that comparable resource sharing would be made available Just as with joint development of print reference collections and resource sharing, so too should electronic reference collection assessment transcend the academic walls Regardless of format, reference collection development depends on users’ information needs However, it is evident that equipment and connectivity are required to access electronic resources and that licensing costs need to be considered when selecting digital resources These technologybased issue raise a dramatic tension: infrastructure demands drive the collection or collection needs drive the infrastructure development? For instance, with federal Web accessibility mandates, should librarians choose products that have fewer value-added features over high-quality vendor products because the latter has not met federal standards? A simple example is ERIC, which was established as a federal government service; vendors such as EBSCO and ProQuest offer costly access to ERIC documents, advertising their added services beyond government baseline options Therefore, one of the first tasks when assessing which electronic reference sources to 126 L S J Farmer Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 collect is to identify the technological infrastructure required to support the electronic resources and services Unfortunately, small independent publishers may become victims in this consideration because they might not have the capacity to keep current with changing technological demands Some of the parameters include: • Terminal/workstation requirements: processing speed, RAM and ROM storage, drivers, video and sound capacity, input/output ports, and peripherals; • Operating systems for dedicated single workstations and networked terminals; • Administrative software: security, firewalls, and authentification and authorization; • Network equipment: servers, routers, hubs, cables, and switchers; • Power demands: outlets, surge protectors, and power surges; • Internet connectivity issues: cabling, fiber optics, dish, WiFi, bandwidth, and e-rate Academics sometimes must settle for older hardware and slower Internet connections if they have no additional funding to complement the digital resources Libraries might not have ongoing technical help, particularly in terms of networking interfaces between vendors, so products need to be easy to access or install Moreover, the library staff needs to determine which of these factors are under the library’s program of service, which need to comply with other institutional requirements (e.g., academic computing), and which are the responsibility of other governing bodies (e.g., universitywide technology system) In some cases, informative communication is the only procedure needed, but in other cases a separate body must make the final decision (e.g., system budgeting) SELECTION PROCESSES AND POLICIES Regardless of the size of the reference collection, selecting a possible reference resource requires considering several criteria beyond those associated with general selection For example, academic collections usually strive for a variety and balance of perspectives; their reference materials have to meet a higher standard of objectivity Some reference resource selection criteria are format-neutral • Scope Is the scope well-defined and well-addressed? Is the information current? Does it fulfill a need within the existing reference collection? • Arrangement What is the sequence of information? What are the features of its indexing and other points of access? Life Cycle of Digital Reference Sources 127 Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 • Ease of use Is the writing clear? Do headlines and layout features facilitate finding the information needed? Do charts, tables, and diagrams clarify information? Can the potential audience use the resource independently? • Purpose Is the purpose clear and does the author fulfill the intended purpose? • Audience Does it contribute to the library’s and institution’s mission? Does it address the needs of the academic community? • Authority What are the author’s qualifications and publisher’s reputation? How objective is the content? (Katz 2001) Of course, cost and availability also affect selection decisions In considering electronic reference resources, format is critical Even the most cost-effective item is worthless if the equipment and connectivity for using it are prohibitively available On the other hand, even free digital reference resources should be evaluated at the same level of rigor as costly items At this point, the Internet has become the de facto standard for digital resource dissemination; it provides easy access and immediate timeliness Beyond the content criteria, additional physical criteria should be considered (Farmer and Sluss 2007): • Interface How easily can the user find the information needed? What navigation tools are available? Is searching—and meta-searching—intuitive and universally accessible? To what depth can the user search for information (e.g., chapter, topic, paragraph, or chart)? Is a HELP function readily available? Does the source employ an open URL standard? To what extent does the user have to “bend” to technical formats as opposed to the technology being crafted to meet user needs? • Readability Are text and images easy to view? Are additional plug-ins necessary? Is content accessible for individuals with special needs? Can viewing options be changed? Can information be accessed by individuals with special needs in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act? This factor is often at the bottom of reference librarians’ list because they can usually overcome visual obstacles as they work with their constituents • File Transferability To what extent can content be downloaded, printed, saved, or sent? • Technical Requirements What type of system requirements (e.g., operating system, platform, speed, RAM, video, and sound) and connectivity are needed to mount the resource? Can the resource be networked? (Many institutions will not consider non-Web-based reference products) What impact will multiple simultaneous user access have on performance? What are the details of the licensing agreements (e.g., number of systems, access parameters, service, and subscription fees)? • Licensing Agreements Farb and Riggio (2004) list basic elements of most contracts: scope, completeness of content, duration, warranties, indemnification, access, confidentiality, sharing, archiving, disability compliance, and usage 128 L S J Farmer Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 statistics Increasingly, libraries are considering “leasing with an option to buy” licenses as a way to insure access through back file ownership; licensing a database with no right to the content beyond the date of the license is no longer attractive Technology not only constitutes a set of formats to consider for acquisition or access, but also provides a rich source of reviews Librarians can also look at other collections and ask their colleagues for advice more easily now because of the Internet and standard protocols that facilitate transfer of information The Library of Congress maintains a bibliography of listservs that review electronic resources (http://www.loc.gov/acq/colldev/handbook.html) In 2006, the Reference and User Services Association of the American Library Association developed a set of guidelines for reviewing all types of reference materials and included details specific to electronic formats Nevertheless, few academic libraries have selection policies that explicitly address digital reference sources Typically, they apply the same criteria for all formats; on the other hand, a few libraries develop format-specific guidelines Academic institutions are more likely to have campus-wide policies about baseline hardware, operating systems, software, and Internet connectivity Yale Library maintains a useful bibliography of electronic collection development policies (http://www.library.yale.edu/∼okerson/ecd.html) The Librarians’ Index to the Internet Selection Policy (http://lii.org/search/file/ pubcriteria) exemplifies criteria for choosing Web resources In some cases, academic libraries have established checklists of specific criteria to consider when selecting electronic subscription databases; California State University, Long Beach’s form is a good example of a criteria checklist (Appendix 1) ACQUISITIONS ISSUES As with assessment and selection, the academic library’s acquisition of digital reference resources exists within university parameters of mission, technology assets, budgetary practices, and decision-making procedures and policies Online subscriptions are particularly complex endeavors because of intellectual rights issues, technical requirements, and leasing agreements In most cases, online database vendors license their products, which can seriously limit the resources’ use, particularly in comparison with Fair Use laws under copyright regulations In their booklet on licensing, Brennan et al (2007) mention several questions to consider when negotiating an electronic information delivery agreement: • What does the vendor own: the data itself or the database compilation/index? • Where is the database located: in the vendor’s server or is it downloaded to a campus site? Who is in charge of servicing the database location? Life Cycle of Digital Reference Sources 129 Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 • Who can access the resources: the academic community, the campus only, or distance learners as well; library visitors; other libraries via interlibrary services; the public? To what degree is the library accountable for supervising access? • What file transfer activities are permitted: downloading, printing, saving, archiving, and access via a course management system? • Who manages the digital rights? • What claims to profit might a vendor make if access to their product results in financial gain? • How does the vendor and their product interface with Open Source initiatives? In addition, the library must check with their institution’s technical branch about connectivity to the vendor, interface issues (particularly between databases), networking protocols, authentification and authorization procedures, security assurances, technical issues impacted by the number of simultaneous users, and service agreements Academic systems, regional consortia, and states also enter into the acquisitions equation The California State University (the nation’s largest post-secondary public educational system) leverages its student population and financial coffers to entice database producers to provide access to their products to test their usage Then, the most highly valued products are chosen as part of a system-wide resource “package.” Indeed, statewide electronic databases for school and public libraries are commonplace On the other hand, database aggregators often clump together various titles–some high-demand and others less well known but costly–in a configuration that resembles a mutual fund Therefore, librarians have to carefully examine possible overlap of coverage across vendors as well as analyze the specific features and services within each vendor’s product line Many libraries choose one vendor as their base product, purchasing the service based on the search engine and the access to desired full texts Additional subscriptions with other vendors might pay for the searching protocol alone without paying for the full-text material, depending instead on trans-database linking software, such as SFX, to provide access to the cited article Theoretically, technology can help the ordering process For instance, the creation of digital “wish lists” can be repurposed into purchase orders Increasingly, as digital orders progress through campus and vendor check points, electronic reviews and signatures can make for seamless tracking if all of the stakeholders have compatible programs and can agree on the logistics and legalities of such transactions MARC records can also be incorporated into this process, with the feature of downloading them into the library management system on arrival of the document At this point, technology is less of an issue than business agreements 130 L S J Farmer This convenience comes with a price Some professionals have a hard time trusting vendors to select, deselect, and manage on behalf of academic librarians Academic catalogers are likely to assert that outsourcing has resulted in declining cataloging standards (Ayers 2003; Steinhagen et al 2007) The fact that the Library of Congress would no longer support their name authority file also concerned academic librarians (Donlan, 2008) Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT: PRESENTATION AND MAINTENANCE Acquiring digital reference sources does not guarantee their optimum use The electronic resources that are accessed have to be organized and managed for effective retrieval and use Although this article does not detail intellectual access, physical access in its broadest definition is discussed here as part of the resource life cycle Ideally, most library users would prefer a one-stop access point, similar to the Google model Instead, most academic libraries have a list of access tools: an OPAC to access information containers (e.g., books, videos, and journal titles), a directory of subscription databases, perhaps a metasite for relevant Websites, a university repository of in-house learning objects, and so forth Increasingly, though, libraries are incorporating frontloaded “shells” that serve as a single point of entrance to access the desired source, be it physical or virtual The National Initiative for a Networked Cultural Heritage (University of Glasgow 2002) details specific technical considerations associated with digital assessment management: • Benchmark workflow procedures and documentation from purchase order through installation and troubleshooting; • Unique file names and consistent use of directories and other file management packaging; • Consistent metatagging practices surrounding content description, administration (i.e., policies about access rights and preservation), and structure (i.e., relationship between assets); • Interface procedures such as searching capabilities between assets; • Equitable access procedures; • Policy tracking and enforcement Digital asset management solutions abound at this point For example, OCLC procured DiMeMa (Digital Media Management), which developed Contentdm, a set of software tools to store and manage library assets Ex Libris supports Verde However, as with the resources themselves, such commercial products require thorough evaluation and sometimes a hefty Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 Life Cycle of Digital Reference Sources 131 price tag The underlying question remains: does the technology drive collection decisions or user needs and library mission control the process? Especially in today’s Web 2.0 world, digital asset management has to address interactivity options and social networking features, such as technology RRS feeds, comment/messaging options, incorporation of faculty repositories, enterprise mash-ups, and user-customizable folksonomy “shells.” Although some of these features are low-cost plug-ins, their management and incorporation into the library’s digital collection system can involve sophisticated technical support, which is usually not inexpensive Furthermore, such customizations need to be well documented and maintained Sometimes less is better One thorny management issue is digital rights: complying with intellectual property regulations Increasingly, digital rights management technologies are being employed to control content use Indeed, some librarians are concerned that licensing agreements may supersede copyright law relative to acceptable use (Jewell et al 2004) Although automated systems conveniently take care of authentification issues and facilitate fair royalties compensation, they can also jeopardize privacy rights and leak into discriminatory profiling practices Typically, these systems favor the rights of copyright holders rather than the spirit of fair use that is expected in educational settings (Agnew & Martin 2003) Academic librarians must also plan ahead in case of possible disasters, either natural or intentional Electronic assets are surprisingly vulnerable to security breaches, electrical problems, demagnetization, water, heat, and even solar “flares” that can knock out services The first steps are to stabilize the disaster’s effects, assess the damage, and start recovery efforts ARCHIVING AND DE-SELECTION With physical items, there was an unstated commitment (barring certain collection rules) to maintain the item for posterity once acquired, even in the smallest of libraries This commitment might define the database as solid as a book on a shelf More frequent reconsideration is likely to occur if electronic resource access is leased; if the academic community does not use the resource within the licensing timeframe that resource might not be renewed On the other hand, libraries may wish to collect specific electronic references indefinitely In this case, they should enter vendor negotiations with an eye to long-term leasing and ownership options Increasingly, systems are pushing for lease-to-buy agreements This alternative is particularly attractive to large academic libraries that want to maintain full back runs of periodicals for their researchers Academic libraries may be more vulnerable in terms of reference collections and their access because of technology Keeping files for years can Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 132 L S J Farmer be problematic as systems crash to upgrade their software and hardware over time Indeed, the library world may be entering a second Dark Age as new versions of applications and operating systems might not be backwards compatible; files may be unreadable in the future In some cases, software programs can emulate the older products and “read” the older files, but this approach holds little interest to industry programmers who not see large profits arising from this effort Libraries may have to revert to printing out database files, which is a daunting task and opposite from the direction of many libraries that are working hard to preserve irreplaceable documents by digitizing them In any case, the mission must be absolutely defined; not everything will be (or should or can be) preserved by every organization choosing to provide access at some juncture There must be last copy provisions and agreements, and last copy must include electronic formats As with other decisions in digital reference collection management, cooperation among academic institutions may be the best solution because they determine the most logical locations to purchase the rights to download and own content Besser (2007) discusses two collaborative projects and notes that collaborators need to have shared goals and visions while respecting different perspectives The LOCKSS project, an open source initiative of several universities, is an attempt to facilitate this archival process The LOCKSS free software (LOCKSS Box) runs on desktop stations and systematically collects targeted e-journal content (which the library has rights to access) and provides peer-topeer access with the library’s community and other LOCKSS members via Web caching The content is compared with other LOCKSS sites (i.e., audited) to insure the integrity of the content and enables the site to correct possible degradations or fragmentation; to the end user, the content and layout look just like the original However, for the process to be implemented, the publishers must give additional permission for the library to collect and preserve those accessible items, use the items in compliance with original licensing terms, and provide copies of the items to other authorized collections for purposes of auditing and repairs Some publishers might worry that the subscription materials would be disseminated beyond the original intent of the licensing agreement, but auditing is done by other subscribers and the benefits of preserving copies of the content for perpetual access at low cost usually outweigh the action’s negative consequences Additionally, the related nonprofit organization CLOCKSS picks up where LOCKSS ends When no publisher has current responsibility or provides electronic access to identified content, the CLOCKSS Board (comprised of librarians and publishers) can decide to make the archived items freely available (LOCKSS 2008) As with many other library functions, electronic resource management deals with the systematic control of resources throughout their life cycle within the context of the library and its institutional affiliation Although the resources themselves are electronic, the underlying management issues remain human Life Cycle of Digital Reference Sources 133 Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 REFERENCES Agnew, Grace, and Mairead Martin 2003 Digital rights management: Why libraries should be major players In The Bowker annual: Library and book trade almanac, 48th edition, ed Dave Bogart, 267–278 Medford, NJ: Information Today Association of Research Libraries 2003 Collections and access for the 21st-century scholar: Changing roles of research libraries ARL: A bimonthly report on research library issues and actions from ARL, CNI, and SPARC 225 http:// www.arl.org/resources/pubs/br/index.shtml/225/index.html (accessed June 7, 2008) Ayers, Sheila 2003 The outsourcing of cataloging: The effect on libraries Current Studies in Librarianship 27: 17–28 Bailey, Charles W., Jr., Karen Coombs, Jill Emery, Anne Mitchell, Chris Morris, Spencer Simons, et al 2006 Institutional repositories SPEC Kit 292 Washington, DC: Association of Research Libraries Besser, Howard 2007 Collaboration for electronic preservation Library Trends 56: 216–229 Brennan, Patricia, Karen Hersey, and Georgia Harper 2007 Licensing: Strategic & practical considerations for signing electronic information delivery agreements Washington, DC: Association of Research Libraries http://www.arl.org/sc/ licensing/licbooklet.shtml (accessed June 7, 2008) Digital Accessible Information System Consortium 2005 DAISY/NISO standard Zurich, Switzerland: Digital Accessible Information System Consortium http:// www.daisy.org/z3986/ (accessed June 7, 2008) Donlan, Rebecca 2008 An unfortunate event for series, or LC outsourced you back The Reference Librarian 47: 95–58 Ex Libris Verde helps you manage the electronic resource life cycle Ex Libris Des Plaines, IL: Ex Libris http://www.exlibrisgroup.com/?catid={5B185FFC-DE42-4CA596CB-616019C38A1E}#{59F52439-017A-4184-A68A-A877B711BF7D} (accessed June 7, 2008) Farb, Sharon, and Anglea Riggio 2004 Media or message? A New look at standards, structures and schemata for managing electronic resources Library Hi Tech 22: 144–152 Farmer, Lesley, and Sara Sluss 2007 Technology impact on reference resources In the human side of reference and information services in academic libraries: Adding value in the digital world, ed Lesley Farmer, 33–48 Oxford: Chandos Publishing Friedlander, Amy 2002 Dimensions and use of the scholarly information environment: Introduction to a data set assembled by the Digital Library Federation and Onsell, Inc Washington, DC: Digital Library Federation and Council on Library and Information Resources Geller, Marilyn 2006 Managing electronic resources: Staffing, services and systems Library Technology Reports 42 Gregory, Vicki 2006 Selecting and managing electronic resources, 2nd Ed New York: Neal-Schuman Jewell, Timothy 2001 Selection and presentation of commercially available electronic resources: Issues and practices Washington, DC: Council on Library and Information Resources Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 134 L S J Farmer Jewell, Timothy, Ivy Anderson, Adam Chandler, Sharon E Farb, Kimberly Parker, Angela Riggio, et al 2004 Electronic resource management: The report of the DLF Initiative Washington, DC: Digital Library Federation Katz, William 2001 Introduction to reference work, 8th Ed New York: McGraw-Hill Leonhardt, Thomas, ed 2006 Handbook of electronic and digital acquisitions Binghamton, NY: Haworth Information Press LOCKSS 2008 Lots of copies keep stuff safe Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University http://lockss.stanford.edu (accessed June 7, 2008) National Initiative for a Networked Cultural Heritage 1999 Core principles and evaluation criteria Washington, DC: National Initiative for a Networked Cultural Heritage http://www.ninch.org/programs/practice/criteria.html (accessed June 7, 2008) Reference and User Services Association 2006 Elements for basic reviews: A guide for writers and readers of reviews of works in all mediums and genres Chicago: American Library Association http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/protools/ referenceguide/ElementsforReviews.pdf (accessed June 7, 2008) Robek, M F., G F Brown, and D O Stephens 1996 Information and records management, 4th Ed Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill Steinhagen, Elizabeth, Mary Ellen Hanson, and Sharon Moynahan 2007 Quo vadis, cataloging? Cataloging & Classification Quarterly 44: 271–280 Su, Di, ed 2007 Collection development issues in the online environment Binghamton, NY: Haworth Information Press University of Glasgow Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute, & The National Initiative for a Networked Cultural Heritage 2002 NINCH guide to good practice in the digital representation and management of cultural heritage materials Washington, DC: National Initiative for a Networked Cultural Heritage http://www.nyu.edu/its/humanities/ninchguide/index.html Watson, Paula 2003 E-journal management: Acquisition and control Library Technology Reports 39 Appendix Checklist of Criteria for Selecting Electronic Products New Database Form (California State University, Long Beach) Web Team Checklist: added to Proxy config file and/or _password page added to password server verified that database works remotely librarians, info programs, and webgroup notified of availability school community update prepared completed form distributed to Serials Accountant Electronic Resource Manager Acquisitions Coordinator if product replaces something, pre-existing product has been edited off of appropriate listings completion date 135 Life Cycle of Digital Reference Sources Product Sponsor: Date: _ Sponsor’s Name: Title: Content: Full text PDF/Adobe Citation/Abstract Some full text Database Information (for “about” boxes): Description (content): Coverage (years): How frequently updated: Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 Number of simultaneous users: Database is a consortium-licensed product: Yes No Database is a consortium Electronic Core Collection product: Yes No Recommendation for Subject/Courses Pages: Product URL: Launch URL: (Only necessary to include if you prefer to launch the database from other than its start page You will need to verify with the vendor that you can use this URL.) Database Instruction Guide: (if you are NOT developing a local instruction guide, please provide here the URL for the vendor’s help / instruction page.) Note: this needs to be a static or persistent URL Authentication Method: by IP Address by Password by both IP and Password When speaking with your vendor re: IP restrictions, please provide them with the following IP domain: 100.100.*.* This will restrict access to any computer on campus or via the proxy User IDs or Passwords (if used): Does this product replace a Web product to which we already subscribe? Yes No Name of product to be replaced: _ When can old product be removed? Database has an administrative module that can be manipulated locally to make changes in the interface, searching, logoff location, etc or can be used to gather usage statistics Yes No If the answer is YES, please provide logon procedures (URL, username/password, etc): Note: If the following four questions are not addressed on the vendor’s technical support Web page, then copy and paste these questions into an email and send to technical support 136 L S J Farmer Which browser versions are supported? (indicate version numbers) Internet Explorer: Netscape: _ Firefox: _ Safari: Opera: _ Is there a preferred browser: Is the database compliant with Section 508 and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act? (Note: if the database is produced outside of the U.S., contact the database coordinator for alternative applicable language.) Can vendor supply a link to a statement regarding the above? Downloaded By: [University of Washington Libraries] At: 20:33 12 July 2010 If vendor says the database is not compliant or does not have a link to a statement please ask when they anticipate compliance or when they anticipate having a Web based statement Must additional software be installed in order for this database to work successfully? Yes No Other comments: If yes, please explain: ... 0276-3877 WREF The Reference Librarian, Librarian Vol 50, No 2, February 2009: pp 1–31 LifeS Cycle L J Farmer of Digital Reference Sources LESLEY S J FARMER Downloaded By: [University of Washington... plan for the life- cycle management of digital resources, including the initial assessment of resources, selection of materials and digital rights management; the technical questions of digitizing... delivery, indexing quality, the feasibility of going e-only, copyright law, and preservation Life Cycle of Digital Reference Sources 121 THE LIFE CYCLE OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCE MANAGEMENT In dealing

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