Tim Bucknall

A comparative evaluation of journal literature access options at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a comparison of three models for journal literature access.Design/methodology/approach – This empirical paper is based on working practice in an academic library.Findings – Post‐implementation analysis shows that both pay‐per‐view and big deals offered valuable and highly used additional content, and that both are cost‐effective alternatives to the traditional subscription model. But overall, the big deal proves to be the best model for most journal titles due to its combination of superior cost savings and ease of end‐user access.Originality/value – By analyzing the results of switching a large number of titles across three access modes in a short period of time, this paper offers insight into the effect of the three access models on end users and library budgets.

Library Technology and User Services

Well, someone can decide by themselves what they want to do and need to do but sometimes, that kind of person will need some library technology and user services references. People with open minded will always try to seek for the new things and information from many sources. On the contrary, people with closed mind will always think that they can do it by their principals. So, what kind of person are you?

Using Cost Per Use to Assess Big Deals

This presentation from the 23rd North Carolina Serials Conference discussed the Carolina Consortiums recent consortium-wide analysis of its big deal ejournal packages, with cost per use as the primary metric. This session addressed the pros and cons of cost-per-use (CPU) data and considered how consortia and individual schools should best utilize the data. Bernhardt discussed how the Carolina Consortium gathered and analyzed CPU data and the impact the examination had on determining whether individual schools cancelled, renewed, or joined big deals. Seven schools were identified as having big deals with CPU higher than desired. Of those seven, four schools chose to renew their deals, while three chose to cancel. Bucknall determined that while CPU is an important metric to analyze in making renewal and cancellation decisions, it is not the only factor.

I’ll Be Back: Post‐Purchase Activities and ROI

What kinds of services and support should be expected after the sale? Vendors are increasingly providing postsale services to their customers, typically in the form of account development. This panel discussion examined experiences that vendors, libraries, and consortia have had with one another, including which services have been beneficial, and explored future enhancements that will benefit libraries and users. The panelists provided specific examples of past collaborations, including customized trainings, usage analysis, and professional development events. Panelists discussed topics of interest to librarians and vendors with a focus on ways to get the best ROI out of library resources. Librarians and publishers on the panel highlighted the important role that each side has in improving ROI and marketing the resources to the library community. Q: Michael, can you tell us a little about your role at the University of Central Florida and a few ways you recommend your staff interact with vendors? Michael: I am Head of Acquisitions and Collection Development. I manage the Subject Librarian‐ Faculty Liaison collection development program and the library materials budget. I also work with library and publisher partners to leverage purchasing and share in collaborative ventures. I encourage my staff to build positive, mutually beneficial relationships with publishers and vendors. Our E‐Resources Librarian and Acquisitions Librarian are both active in committee work and publisher relations. We feel there is mutual benefit to working closely with vendors. Q: Tim, can you share with us a bit about your role as Founder/Chief Negotiator for the Carolina Consortium and how you facilitate communication with vendors among the members? What are the benefits of working within a group? Tim: I coordinate 180 public and private libraries and community colleges in a buying club. We have a cost avoidance of

Emerging technology trends in libraries

250 million a year. This is an informal, buyer’s club group (rather than a more traditional consortium). Communications are not so easy. Negotiators do the work and then distribute the offers to members of the buying club. As for advantages of working in a group, there are several. The entire group benefits from a collective wisdom. They share (stories of) benefits and problems with products, vendors, support, functions, pricing. Each library has its own expertise. We meet once a year. Some library experiences may not be valid. For example, someone may have had a bad experience with a particular sales rep, while others have had positive experiences with a different rep from the same company. The bad rep experience does not inform total company experience. Q: Sarah, can you give us some insight into Account Development at Springer a few of the tools your team use in their work with libraries? Sarah: My team, Account Development, helps customers achieve the best possible value or ROI from their purchases. We provide assistance with end‐user marketing, including offering on‐site presence for library or campus‐wide promotions and events (such as library days, vendor exhibits). We also provide regular usage and statistical analysis, for our own purposes and upon request. This helps us to keep track of customers and Copyright of this contribution remains in the name of the author(s). http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284315605 372 Charleston Conference Proceedings 2014 usage trends. A newish tool in our repertoire is a sophisticated web analytics program called WebTrekk. This helps to gauge end‐user behavior . Additionally, I offer implementation and discovery assistance to customers as needed. Stephanie, you have worked in account development at both an STM publisher and a university press. How does account development differ between the two types of companies? Q: Stephanie: It’s the difference in working with larger vs smaller publishers. Access to resources is obviously a big difference. My role at Cambridge is hybrid, in that I have traditional sales responsibilities in addition to managing the account development program. However, having my fingers in lots of pies and wearing many different hats has its benefits. This provides more opportunities to meaningfully interact with different departments within the Press and communicate the needs of our library customers internally. Also, unlike an STM publisher, the diversity of content published by a university press can prove challenging. For example, how do you compare your STM content with the humanities content when it comes to expected usage? Communication and Philosophies: Digging Deeper Q: Tim and Michael, could you describe a few of your philosophies and techniques for interacting with publishers and vendors? What are some obstacles to communication you have experienced? Michael: When working with publishers and vendors, my policy is “open door, open dialogue.” This allows for collaboration and leverage of relationships. We appreciate the opportunity to assist with development and refinement of products and to act as beta sites. We often share experiences with other libraries through our involvement on library advisory boards and participation in various publisher and library forums. It is important to bring the wisdom of the various publisher representatives into the library environment. They visit with numerous libraries each year and are willing to share these ideas. They are a good resource. Typically, subject librarians only get to see publisher representatives during on‐campus events. More interaction is better, because it is possible to learn a lot from publisher representatives. We don’t want publishers and vendors to fear contact with the library and rather we encourage collaboration including working together on presentations and articles. Tim: Don’t start off with antagonistic relationships from consortium to vendor. When more schools are involved, the price point is lower. Both sides are looking for positive outcomes. However, as a consortium you must be willing to walk away. No negotiation is legitimate without that willingness to walk away. Why talk to a rep who is unwilling to negotiate any concessions with me? When there is one deal for schools in more than one state, there can be problems. The more obstacles with permissions on the library purchaser side, the tougher it is to coordinate. Q: Sarah and Stephanie, what are some of the ways you interact with the library community in a given year? Sarah: Throughout the year, I visit customers to present usage and end‐user behavior analyses. Conferences provide many opportunities for interactions—not only with scheduled meetings, but also via impromptu conversations at the booth and between sessions. I also work with librarians to plan events of various types: training, end‐user‐focused, professional development, to name a few. For example, my colleague hosted a Big Marketing workshop where area librarians traded ideas and shared experiences in marketing their libraries. It was so highly rated, we repeated it at ALA Annual in Las Vegas. Another way is reaching out through social media (see Springer’s LibraryZone on Facebook), whether it’s to share library news stories or for larger marketing campaigns like one we did for International Open Access Week.

Strategic planning, organizational goals and technology: what and for whom?

Where is library technology and automation headed in the next 10 years? This chapter provides an overview of current worldwide technology trends and the implications of these for libraries of today and tomorrow. Current and emerging technologies – such as e-books, e-readers, mobile computing, cloud computing, instructional literacy, and virtual worlds – are discussed. In addition, the concepts of pervasive usability and how to test that your technology is highly efficient, effective, and satisfying for your users are also explained in detail.

Technology and budgeting

Where does one begin in deciding what technology is best for one’s library? The close alignment between organizational and user goals is critical in identifying and implementing the appropriate technology solutions. This chapter walks step-by-step through the process of conducting a needs assessment and developing a strategic plan, and discusses the relationship between following the process and creating a world-class working environment for employees and users alike. Readers are provided with a blue-print for how to develop one on their own. Once a strategic plan is created that paints the strategic goals of both the organization and the users it hopes to serve, the appropriate technology to facilitate attainment of these goals can then be identified.

Stone tablets, paper and the Internet: the same old library?

Technology is expensive. How often should technology be replaced? This chapter discusses the basic budgeting process, the core concepts behind them such as ‘prevention vs. reaction’, ‘quality vs. quantity’, and ‘replacement vs. repair’. How to prioritize and the current budgeting trends for libraries are also discussed.

Evaluation: is technology meeting the needs of the organization's users?

Libraries have been serving users since antiquity but their purpose remains relatively unchanged – they serve the information needs of people. This chapter discusses how technology has enhanced the way libraries do what they have always done: but bigger, better and faster. Contemporary national trends of public, academic and school libraries in the US are summarized. The science of systems thinking is introduced and posited as a fundamental way in which to meet the basic information-seeking needs of people in a systematic way, and provide well-aligned resources and services that form the foundation of user services excellence.

Customized fashion: finding the right fit

How do you know whether your technology infrastructure is meeting the needs of your users? This chapter goes in-depth on how to evaluate your organizations performance through a variety of methods and identifying and collecting relevant data and information necessary to make informed, strategic choices. Concepts such as informatics and building a logic model for new programming are discussed with hands-on examples provided.