Negotiation and Cost Containment Strategies for Electronic Resources

Wednesday, 9/12/2018
  • 2:00 PM-3:00 PM (Eastern)
  • 1:00 PM-2:00 PM (Central)
  • 12:00 PM-1:00 PM (Mountain)
  • 11:00 AM-12:00 PM (Pacific)

This session was presented on September 12, 2018. Access the recording and materials now:

This is part 4 of the six-part series, Licensing Electronic Resources to Serve the Library's Mission. 

Licensing electronic resources must be undertaken in a way that supports the library’s mission by providing access to the highest possible number of databases, electronic journals, eBooks, and streaming media at the lowest possible cost. While the specific objectives and strategies of libraries will vary, skilled librarians must undertake a number of complex tasks in order to successfully license electronic resources. Some of the most important of these tasks or objectives include: negotiating the best possible terms in complex license agreements, maintaining positive working relationships with library vendors, communicating important information to internal and external constituencies, tracking changes in business models and relevant technologies, providing data for collection analysis, as well as coordinating their work with library administrators.

Learning Outcomes

Attendees will be asked to consider taking a more holistic approach to their routine work, first by understanding the general state of the contemporary information marketplace and then by identifying the place of one's own library in the overall "information ecosystem." While maintaining positive working relationships with sales representatives and other vendor personnel, librarians will be shown some practical techniques for pursuing the library's interests in a competitive marketplace: 1) how to select, combine, and sometimes even develop business models for serial and monographic e-resource acquisitions, 2) how to prepare for and conduct negotiations, 3) how to work with and evaluate partnerships with other libraries and consortia, 4) and finally how to avoid some common mistakes and other pitfalls.

Who Should Attend

New librarians will likely benefit the most from this session, but all librarians interested in licensing electronic resources may benefit from the discussion of negotiation techniques, the evaluation of business models, and cost containment strategies.

Presenter

George Stachokas is the electronic resources librarian at Auburn University in Alabama. Previously, he served as head of resource services and special assistant to the dean for project management at Purdue University, and electronic resources librarian at Indiana State University. Stachokas holds an MLIS degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an MA in history from Indiana State University, and a BS in economics from Purdue University—West Lafayette.

Registration

Cost

A recording of this webinar is now available since the six month date of the presentation has passed.

How to Register

No registration required.

Tech Requirements

Computer with Internet access (high-speed connection is best) and media player software. Headphones recommended.

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Credits

None

Contact

For questions about registration, contact ALA Registration by calling 1-800-545-2433 and press 5 or email registration@ala.org.

For all other questions or comments related to the webinars, contact Megan Dougherty, ALCTS Program Officer, Continuing Education at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 5038 or mdougherty@ala.org.