A Licensing Survival Guide for Librarians

Abstract

Digital content is often available only via a licensing agreement between a content provider and a purchaser. Negotiating these agreements can take time, but with proper preparation and anticipation of the issues of greatest importance to both parties librarians can conduct this work reasonably and expeditiously. Understanding the key terms and recognizing the reasons underpinning the implementation of these contracts is important for librarians who no longer simply place orders for journals or books through traditional agents but rather negotiate directly with content providers.

KEYWORDS:

• Electronic content
• licensing agreements
• negotiating

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bruce Strauch

Disclaimer: Bruce Strauch is the owner of the Charleston Conference and is co-publisher of Against the Grain, Linking Publishers, Vendors and Librarians. Strauch's wife and co-publisher, Katina P. Strauch, also is chairman of the board of The Charleston Advisor, which is mentioned in this article as a useful source of product reviews.