1. Working with an agent – the RCM Library’s e-journal pilot Catherine Ebenezer Information Systems Manager, RCM CHILL E-journals Seminar 10/11/06

2. The beginning Conversation with Swets marketing manager December 2004 Swets negotiating team could undertake negotiations with publishers on our behalf – for a fee Swets recommended pilot with titles from Blackwell Publishing

3. Issues Access for whom? 37,000 RCM members – or for library members only? (750 library members – now 900+) Licence from publisher required Management interface? SwetsWise TitleBank www.swetswise.com www.swetswise.com

4. Outline strategy document Goals Secure licences initially for five key titles Ensure value for money Maximise value from existing holdings Introduce technology which aids and supports the RCM in maximising access to electronic resources Manage the speed of implementation in line with technology capabilities

5. Outline strategy document Key stages Planning and prioritising Brokering/financial/administration –Initial quotations and proposals –Reaching an agreed e-deal –Licence agreement

6. Reaching an agreed e-deal If initial offer unacceptable: Re-establishing and amending RCM’s requirements Querying / seeking clarification Helping publisher adjust offer Explaining publisher’s offer to the RCM Requesting further quotations on a different licence model Proposing ways forward for both parties Keeping channels of communication open

7. Financial and administration Ordering the agreed e-deals Ensuring e-access arrangements Ensuring licences are signed and returned to publisher Making single payment to publisher on behalf of RCM Invoicing RCM – alerting to renewals Single point of contact and communication channel / alerting service

8. Authentication and access Referrer URL from members’ area of RCM web site insufficiently restrictive Explored possibility of using RCM membership number to log in to SwetsWise TitleBank Not possible - eventually had to register members individually– a major chore

9. What we got In addition to current print subs 2006 content only –Birth £362.70 –BJOG £365.80 –Journal of Nursing Management £468.10 –Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology £674.25 –TOTAL £1870.85

10. SwetsWise

13. Usage: full-text access

14. Usage: logins

15. Usage: searches

17. Problems Confusion between pilot titles and free-with- print (same administrator account) Tedious and time-consuming to administer Difficulties with user access: 15/73 –Firewall issues –Unsupported browsers (e.g. AOL) –SwetsWise interface

18. Lessons learned A “critical mass” of e-content is needed to attract users – ours wasn’t sufficient Lack of user awareness an ongoing problem Avoid arrangements that involve registering users individually, issuing passwords etc. Ensure you know exactly what you are getting! Midwives don’t like e-journals – prefer print – some journals not published electronically

19. Lessons learned Take-up insufficient to indicate viability of/demand for a full-scale service Using an agent a good option for a small library lacking resources to conduct its own negotiations with publishers