2 messages: 1)_____ Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2000 12:21:59 -0400 From: David Goodman <dgoodman@PRINCETON.EDU> Subject: Re: Web Encyclopedia (Phil Mestecky) I suggest a slight modification: also permit at a lower price to the web version only. for example, if you're charging for the combination $1000 + 100/yr, offer the web only at $700 + 100/yr This will probably provide some additional subscribers. I suggest that you and all publishers always price so as to encourage online only for reference works, though of course not to force it. Experience here is that some such web supplements arent much used when users start with the print (which is a good reason to prefer the online) --I suggest that your 3 yr period supply user statistics. I have learned to be a little leary of continuing subscriptions to supplements of any sort unless I know they will be used. Also dont price the supplement too high-- a $500 work with $ 200 supplements is a troublesome committment. I know of at least one reference publisher that does this, and I dont usually buy their supplements. The web in general offers a very good way for trials of reference books--I can afford expensive sets that actually receive use, if I dont have to buy the 50% of them that turn out not to receive use. Of course then you have to produce something that proves to be useful, not just sounds like it would be useful. I agree with you that CD supplements are obsolete. I don't mind them for backup, but not for primary access. > > Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2000 09:31:44 +0000 > From: "Mestecky, Philip (ELS)" <p.mestecky@ELSEVIER.CO.UK> > Subject: Web Encyclopedia > > I am currently working on a project to develop a new 11 volume Encyclopedia > in the field of materials science and would very much value the input and > suggestions of the readers of this newsgroup to help us shape the way in > which we offer it to our customers. > > The problem we are trying to wrestle with is how best to offer the > Encyclopedia in electronic form. Our research so far has clearly indicated > that there is a strong if not unanimous preference among librarians for a > Web-based solution rather than CD-ROM. This has allowed us to abandon the > idea of CD-ROM and concentrate on the Web but it has not yet revealed how we > should offer the print and electronic versions for sale. We are also still > to confirm the best way to provide updates to the Web version. > > Currently our thinking is this: > > Purchasers of the 11 volume Encyclopedia will be provided with three years > institution-wide access via IP domain to the Web version included in the > price. This will include the updates that take place in the first three > years (we estimate c. 100 new or revised articles per year) and will allow > purchasers a significant period of time to test the service and evaluate its > usefulness to researchers, faculty and students. After this period the Web > version with updates would need to be purchased on an annual subscription > basis much as you might subscribe to database services. > > This is based on the premise that most libraries still want to own a print > set of the Encyclopedia but would appreciate the opportunity for users to > use the electronic Encyclopedia from anywhere within the institution. For > this reason we are offering a traditional print Encyclopedia, but giving > libraries and users the chance to evaluate the Web version before making a > financial commitment to subscribe to it. > > Your comments on this suggestion or your ideas for alternative approaches > will make a significant difference to the approach we eventually take so > will be gratefully received. The feedback I get will, if users wish it, be > shared with the newsgroup. > > Many thanks in advance for your help and input. > > Phil Mestecky > Publisher, Materials Science -- David Goodman Biology Librarian, and Co-Chair, Electronic Journals Task Force Princeton University Library dgoodman@princeton.edu http://www.princeton.edu/~biolib/ phone: 609-258-3235 fax: 609-258-2627 2)______ Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2000 17:36:11 +0000 Subject: Re: Web Encyclopedia (Phil Mestecky) Dear Phil, Give my remarks minimal weight as this product would be quite peripheral to our collection and we'd be unlikely to get it in any shape or form. I concur with web access with IP address recognition. I also suppose the 3 year committment might be ok depending on the price. Elsevier products are expensive and it might be too great a chunk out of an annual budget unless Elsevier would allow the payments to be spread over 3 years but the purchaser would be committed to 3 years? I don't concur with the supposition that most libraries will buy both print and web. We duplicate very little. We have not bought print Encyclopedia Britannica since we got that on the web. I do agree that sometimes print lookup is easier and faster. I know I use our McGraw Hill Enc of Sci Tech on CD-rom a lot less than I formerly used the 20 volume set although the workstation is located near the print set. When it comes to the next edition I don't yet know which version I'll recommend. In that case the web version wasn't ready or was too expensive for something that just saw moderately light use. Good for you for soliciting feedback. ___________________________________________________________________ Flora Grabowska, Science Librarian phone 914 437 5788 Box 553 Vassar College, fax 914 437 5864 124 Raymond Ave, e-mail:flgrabowska@vassar.edu Poughkeepsie, NY 12604-0553 Vassar College Library Website: http://iberia.vassar.edu/vcl/index.html
