ASA Conference
Best Way to Predict the Future Is to Invent It
New Roles for the Modern Intermediary - Part II
Tuesday 28th February, 2012
New Roles or New Needs?
Just Being Flexible in This Ever-Changing Environment
Today’s discussion
What publishers want
What librarians need
What end-users want
New initiatives in the industry
What subscription agents and intermediaries can do
About PCG
What do publishers want?
Trusted content - citations
Strong delivery tools
Usage statistics
Perceived as innovators and leaders in their field
New subscribers
Worldwide coverage
High impact factors
To prove their ROI!
What do libraries need?
Right access at the right time under the right terms
More automated processes
For us to have a true understanding of how they function and the paperwork involved with some of our requests
(No) time to learn new system
To prove their ROI!
… and basically, just help to process all this information
What is frustrating for librarians?
“Not knowing the years of access we retain when we cancel an online journal subscription. Sometimes even the publishers don't know.”
“I really wish they could work better with publishers and other vendors to help us gather usage statistics (cost-per use)”
“When link resolvers can't connect to full text because some of the metadata is incorrect.”
“Don’t send PDF licenses!”
“Paperwork such as licenses” and “incorrect records”
“Interrupted access: might be a vendor that didn't receive a renewal notice, or a journal that has ceased publication, or something with a name change”, or a journal transferred to a new publisher, or etc…
What do end-users want?
(Seamless) access to everything, everywhere, any time
Google – like features
Expect that content will improve over time
Easily track citations
Free access to everything
Era of connections (social, professional)
Recent developments
Consortia of libraries / publishers
E-books / PDA
Mobile delivery / demand
Open Access / Usage-based pricing
Integration of content / article = chapter = video = content
Center of research shifting from library (Tim)
Blurred boundaries: publishers/libraries/suppliers
Ownership vs. use (Get it now?)
Opportunities!!!
What we can do...
Actually listen and implement real changes
Remain neutral and impartial, but lead the way by advising on best practices
Relay concerns we often hear
Offer a more customized, local approach to a problem rather than a one-size fits all solution
Interact constantly with both sides
Solutions
For libraries and end-users
Navigate new offerings
Maximize current resources
Seek best license terms
Relay external and internal challenges
Micropayments?
For publishers
Navigate new business models
Maximize usage
Advise on best practices
Optimize (un)bundling of content
Aggregations?
Examples
Analytics:
With publishers: help boost / monitor usage
With librarians: help collect / analyze / compare with other libraries
With both: turn-away statistics
End-users:
With publishers: help reach out to new authors / raise awareness
With librarians: provide training / discovery tools
Consortia:
With publishers AND librarians: act as a mediator
PDA:
With publishers: when does it make sense?
With librarians: how-to and best practices
Flexibility
Size doesn’t matter
Needs are involving on both sides
Adapt to new offerings
Right team in place
Staying connected
In the end, it’s all about ...
…Being flexible
and attentive!
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