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Free Open Teleconference to Discuss Draft SERU RP for Comment (no
registration required)
Monday, January 9, 2012
3:00 to 4:00 p.m. EST
Call in: 877-375-2160 (for U.S.) - contact nisohq@niso.org for call-in # for
other countries
Code: 17800743#  (enter when prompted)
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The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) announces the
availability of a draft update of SERU: A Shared Electronic Resource
Understanding for public comment (NISO RP-7-201X) through February 19, 2012.
SERU offers publishers and libraries the opportunity to save both the time
and the costs associated with a negotiated and signed license agreement for
e-resources by both content provider and customer agreeing to operate within
a framework of shared understanding and good faith. The SERU framework
provides a set of common understandings for parties to reference as an
alternative to a formal license when conducting business.

When SERU was adopted as a NISO Recommended Practice in 2008, its focus was
on e-journal transactions, and the parties involved were primarily libraries
and publishers. Since then, with the many emerging models for acquisition of
e-books, both libraries and e-book providers have requested that other types
of electronic resources be incorporated into the SERU framework. This
updated version of SERU recognizes both the importance of making SERU more
flexible for those who want to expand its use beyond e-journals and the fact
that consensus for other types of e-resource transactions are not as
well-established as they are for e-journals. In those instances where there
is as yet no standard expectation, a shared understanding may still be
achieved if expectations are clearly articulated in the purchase order that
accompanies SERU.

"As e-resources have become increasingly central to library collections, the
number of license agreements have multiplied accordingly," comments Selden
Lamoureux, co-chair of the NISO SERU Standing Committee that updated the
best practice. "It's important that there continues to be a viable
alternative to formal licensing, and that SERU be suitable for the different
types of e-resources patrons rely on. Demand for e-books is growing
exponentially, and it's especially important that SERU be appropriate for
e-book acquisition, whenever acquiring institutions and electronic providers
agree on its use."

"This public draft takes into account the perspectives and input from a
number of parties," states Nettie Lagace, Associate Director for Programs at
NISO. "After the Standing Committee-consisting of libraries and providers
with experience in licensing-discussed possible changes, previous versions
of drafts were circulated to stakeholders for further comment. The SERU
Standing Committee also held a lively discussion session at the Charleston
Conference in November and has made further edits since then. The group is
looking forward to reactions and comments from the broader community prior
to finalizing the document for publication."

The draft updated SERU Recommended Practice and an online comment form are
available on the NISO SERU website (www.niso.org/workrooms/seru/). All
parties involved in licensing electronic content are encouraged to review
and comment on the document.

Cynthia Hodgson
Technical Editor / Consultant
National Information Standards Organization
hodgsonca@verizon.net
301-654-2512