Guide to Licensing and Acquiring Electronic Information

This guide provides direction and suggestions for the selection, acquisition, and licensing of electronic materials for libraries. The steps involved in the process of purchasing most of the existing electronic formats presently available are clearly delineated. Issues from policy concerns, through access and ownership, to licensing and the role of consortia are all covered. Specialized sets of considerations not previously weighed when selecting purchasing material in more traditional formats are included as well as a sample set of licensing guidelines. The authors also include an extensive bibliography and webliography, both organized by subject, and conclude with an extensive glossary of high-tech terms commonly used in the library world when referring to electronic formats.

Author Biography

Stephen Bosch currently serves as Materials, Budget, Procurement, and Licensing Librarian at the University of Arizona Library. He is a member of the ALA ALCTS CMDS Nominating Committee, and was a contributing author for Guide to User Needs Assessment for Integrated Information Resource Management and Collection Development (Scarecrow Press, 2001).

Patricia A. Promis is an Associate Librarian at the University of Arizona Library. She serves as Team Leader for the Special Collections, Fine Arts and Humanities Team. She was a contributing author to Guide to Selecting and Acquiring CD-ROMs, Software, and other Electronic Publications.

Christopher L. Sugnet is the Director for the Collection Development and Management Division at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He was also a contributing author for Guide to Library User Needs Assessment for Integrated Information Resource Management and Collection Development.