Our library also participated in a digitization project like Adelaide described for journal backfiles. We will have access to these files in perpetuity but other libraries and their patrons will not be so fortunate. This does present a bit of a quandary. Lee Ann __________________________________ Lee Ann Howlett Head, Serials Dept. Shimberg Health Sciences Library University of South Florida 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC 31 Tampa, FL 33612 (813) 974-9080 (813) 974-7032 (fax) email: LHOWLETT@HEALTH.USF.EDU -----Original Message----- From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum on behalf of Adelaide Fletcher Sent: Tue 7/3/2007 4:58 PM To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Digitization requests from newspaper publishers These are good points, and to participate with these efforts is to aid and abet the publishers because they will offer access to the archives at a charge to other libraries. That said, in our case at least, nothing will change for my library's patrons except it will be easier for them to access this material than before. The same patrons that were able to walk in and use the paper volumes will be able to walk in, sit down at one of our public access terminals and view the electronic volumes. -----Original Message----- From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Howlett, Lee Ann Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2007 1:15 PM To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Digitization requests from newspaper publishers Good points, Aline. There's a tremendous amount of information now in the public domain which publishers are still charging the public to view. We're just helping the publishers make more money by assisting in the digitization process without addressing who will have access to the finished product and at what price. Lee Ann _________________________________ Lee Ann Howlett Head, Serials Dept. Shimberg Health Sciences Library University of South Florida 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC 31 Tampa, FL 33612 (813) 974-9080 (813) 974-7032 (fax) Email: LHOWLETT@HEALTH.USF.EDU -----Original Message----- From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Aline Soules Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2007 12:13 PM To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Digitization requests from newspaper publishers Perhaps I'm being cynical here, but my big concern is that after these materials are digitized, we'll all have to pay through the nose to gain access to them. In the case of microfilm, the library retains the copies they have in hand, so at least those materials are still available to all who come into that library. In the case of print, the materials are often gone. Are we giving away the store? Should we not try to act collectively to gain open access or reduced rates for everyone or something? It's getting to the point where one must be affiliated to an organization to get access to information. Individual citizens or those who are trying to run small businesses and don't have the financial resources to rent access to information they need are disenfranchised. What do we need to do to redress this situation and still enable the digitization process to continue? aline Aline Soules Cal State East Bay 510-885-4596 aline.soules@csueastbay.edu -----Original Message----- From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Adelaide Fletcher Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2007 7:57 AM To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Digitization requests from newspaper publishers We are going to participate in a similar agreement at my library but for several complete journal back-runs, not a newspaper. We will receive a free institutional site license for one year plus perpetual access to the entire archive (up to the last volume we give them, not to the present). We are not doing the digitization, just packaging the volumes and shipping them to a third party. We are receiving modest compensation for the staff time it will take to do this. -----Original Message----- From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Seth Smith Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2007 8:21 AM To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: [SERIALST] Digitization requests from newspaper publishers I work at one of the largest and most comprehensive state newspaper repositories in the country. We are starting to get requests from conglomerate publishers who want to digitize their titles (going back into the mid-1800s) from microfilm negatives that we filmed in-house over the years and which we store and own. Our relationships with publishers has always been excellent--we recieve free copies of newspapers to microfilm. However, the enormous amount of staff time and money involved in duplicatiing the negatives for digitization, as well as microfilm ownership rights seem like they must be addressed on some level. We are hoping to get an "institutional membership" for these digital archives for which our members and patrons can access either remotely or in-house to offset some of our costs. I'm sure other newspaper archives and serials librarians are running into similar situations. Can anyone offer some helpful suggestions on this? Message has been filtered by MX Logic. Message has been filtered by MX Logic.
