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The role of Intermediaries & their Services
Gavin Lewis, Business Solutions ManagerSWETS
AGENDA
• Who are the Intermediaries
• Their role and function in the Information Chain
• How have they evolved their Services
• Why are they needed?
• The future?...
How does the Oxford Dictionary define us?....
[Intermediary] – a mediator, acting as mediator
Other descriptions…
Agent, Broker, middle-man, negotiator
The World without Agents
Intermediary
The Role of an Agent
ServicesSearch Titles
OrderClaimRenew
InvoicingReporting
Access ContentLogisticsCheck-in
Who are the Agents?
Swets
Ebsco
Harrassowitz
Prenax
Plus many local agents
But many have fallen by the way side…
Infocandy, Rowecom, Dawson, Everetts, BlackwellPlus many, many more.
Who do Agents Serve?
• Academic Libraries– Incl. regional Purchasing Consortia
• Government Libraries
• Health Libraries (incl. NHS)
• Local Authorities / Public Libraries
• Corporate Libraries (STM and Non STM)
Agent LibraryPublisher
Commission
Service Service
Service charge
How are agents financed?
Lets turn the clock back….
The Traditional Subscription Agent
Traditional Subscription Agent Services - Libraries
• Day to Day Management
• Single customer service contact (local language)
• One invoice source
• Simplified renewals and ordering
• Price analysis and management reporting
• Consolidation service
Traditional Subscription Agent Services - Publishers
• Financial Risk Management– Improve cash flow– Administrative management– From “many to one”
• Proactive renewal management
• Reduced Claims
• Management Information– Financial Information– Renewal Status Reports– Claims Reports
• Increased Visibility– Enhance publishers content to the market place– Active representation – Targetted Marketing
• Advent of e – New Challenges and New Opportunities– Late 1990’s onwards…
• A wealth of scholarly and research content on the web– How do I know what is there?– How do I find it?– Can we control / measure who access it?
Moving into e…..
New Services – New Opportunities – New Players
Online Content Hosts
What are they and Why are they needed?
• Provide a single platform for Publisher’s e-journals: For publishers who prefer or need a third party to provide this technical solution
• Enables (Library) users to search across a large amount of content via a single interface
• Allows administrators to manage their e Journals more efficiently
Examples of Online Content Hosts
• Atypon
• HighWire Press
• IngentaConnect
Plus • SwetsWise Online Content• EBSCONET
Authentication Services
• What are they?
– A technical solution; allowing single sign-on to a range of electronic resources
• Why do we need them?
– Publishers need to monitor who is accessing content– Ensures only the right people/groups are accessing content– Commercial implications – usage based pricing– Reduces administrative burden
Authentication Services - Who are they?
• IP Addresses
• Athens
• UK Access Management Federation– (Shibboleth)
Nb; Log-in prompts are placed on Subscription Agent portals
E-Content Aggregators
What do they do?
• Transform published e-content from various sources to create a new product / dataset available via a single platform
Why are they needed?
• Simplifies purchasing and access administration• Provides added value• An affordable alternative to e-journals• They can be subject focussed
E-Content Aggregators - Examples
• OVID
• Medline / PubMed
• Proquest
• EDINA (A JISC Iniative)
• EBSCO Databases
ERM System Vendors
What are they?
• A technical Solution for libraries– To help with the management of e-content
- Electronic Library Systems- Electronic Cataloguing- Facilitating access to online content
Why do we need them?
• Managing electronic content effectively in the Library• Simplifies and reduces administrative burden
Examples of ERM Vendors
• SirsiDynix
• Ex – Libris - Metalib
• Serials Solutions – 360 Resource Manager
Plus• SwetsWise eSource Manager
• Ebsco ERM Essentials
Link Resolvers
What are they?
• A technical solution using Open URL to ensure that a user will find the content they have rights to access
• They ensure that an Institutions content is made visible
Why do we need them?
• Speeds up access to content• Avoid dead links• Helps libraries get value for money
Open URL Link Resolvers - Examples
• Ex-Libris – SFX
• EBSCO – LinkSource
• SwetWise Linker
• OCLC – World Cat Link Manager
Federated Search Engines
What are they?• They enable the user to search across multiple sources from one
interfaceContent sources
ILS/OPAC
Why are they needed?• Exposure of resources• Saves time for Users• Provides an alternative to Google!!
Subscription Agents have had to move with the times…
Content Negotiators
What are they?
• Provide a front line negotiation service for Library Consortia and global organisations for access to e-Content
Why are they needed?
• To represent institutions, grouped together with similar aims and objectives
• Save time and money• Provide valuable industry advise
Examples of Content Negotiators
• JISC Collections – The JISC Content Procurement Company Ltd
• IReL – Irish Research elibrary
• CHEST (Eduserv)
In other sectors…
• Heal link – Greece• NHS• Global Pharmaceutical Companies
So,,, What are we left with??
Libraries/InstitutionsRegional/National Consortia
Corporate Organisations
Publishers-Journals- Datasets- eBooks Subscription Agents
AuthenticationServices
Link Resolvers
Online Content Hosts
eBook Sellers
Content Negotiators
Content Aggregators
Recent Developments
eBooks
• Intermediaries looking to capture increasing library eBook Budgets
• Still looking to facilitate order / access of eBook content
• Varying Licence models, access models, pricing models– Perpetual access vs Subscription
Intermediaries and Open Access
• Dependency on the traditional Publishing Model
• Intermediaries looking for opportunities to support and facilitate any Open Access marketplace.....any scenario ends with many to many.
• Help to drive for standards and technical compatibility
We are left with Complexity…
• Intermediaries can deliver simplicity
• Can all the technologies employed by the individual vendors be harmonised to work as one???
• Healthy competition is valuable to the customer – As it will mean vendors are forced to work with one another
• Intermediaries are key in quick flow of communication
Thank you for listening……
Any Questions??
Gavin LewisBusiness Solutions [email protected](#00 44) 1235 857746