Meg,

 I would like to add that I believe PAMS can develop an ERM for libraries.
 I know that among the "packed house" of attendees at the ERM networking node
at NASIG in Milwaukie this year the position held by most who spoke up feel
that our ILS's should develop an ERM similar to what Innovative has done.
I disagree with this.

 In my experience, our ILS vendor takes a long time to develop a new
module that actually is functional while companies like Serials Solutions
and TDnet are small enough to be relatively quick to respond to their market.
In addition, oftentimes when an ILS vendor gets something up and running there are
large up-charges involved.

Yes, our ILS has our data which can be easily imported into a newly developed
module, but does it really have all of our titles? Aggregators? New titles
added from year to year? While I try very diligently to report to our technical
services librarians of our adds and drops in order to update our catalog,
I miss some of them while Serials Solutions has all of our titles.

Personally, I would prefer that Serials Solutions would come up with an ERM
because they have all of my accurate up-to-date data and it is already in a
grouped format by provider. They also know our business. They are intimately
associated with serials and serials providers. How many of you are really using
your ILS acquisitions modules for serials pricing?  We aren't. It is not
flexible enough to handle all of the nuances of serials package pricing
structures not to mention a place to insert licensing information for a package.

For Serials Solutions' non-subscribers, they would need to be able to create
a way to export data from a variety of disparate systems in order to offer it as
a product to all libraries.

My hat goes off to Innovative for being at the forfront of an ERM development.
They have created a standard that will be difficult to match by their ILS counterparts.

Sue Marshall
Electronic Resources Librarian
Renne Library
Montana State University
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT 59717-3320
smarshall@montana.edu
(406) 994-4313
Fax (406) 994-2851

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU]On Behalf Of Frieda Rosenberg
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2004 2:27 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] PAMS vs. ERMS

Meg,
More library acronyms (we love 'em).  PAMs are companies (TDNet, Serials
Solutions).  ERMs are software offered by ILS vendors for tracking
licenses and other data connected with your titles.  Both have the
purpose of helping you manage your electronic resources.

Frieda Rosenberg
UNC-Chapel Hill

Del Baglivo, Meg wrote:

>Hello All,
>
>Can anyone provide me with a good explanation of the difference between
>PAMS (Publication Access Management Services) and ERMS (Electronic
>Resources Management Systems)? I've had an inquiry from an administrator.
>Thanks! Meg Del Baglivo
>
>Megan Del Baglivo, MLS
>Acting Head of Collection Development
>Electronic Resources/Continuations Cataloger
>University of Maryland, Baltimore
>Health Sciences & Human Services Library
>601 W. Lombard St.
>Baltimore, MD 21201-1512
>mdelbagl@hshsl.umaryland.edu
>Tel: 410-706-7760
>
>