Improving Access and Efficiency through Innovation and Collaboration

Abstract

Libraries of all types, especially SUNY Libraries, are struggling to maintain subscriptions to electronic research materials with prices increasing far faster than inflation. Initiatives such as SUNY Connect ensure access to a strong core set of research materials across SUNY, but almost all libraries across SUNY must also meet additional research needs through electronic subscriptions. Electronic subscriptions occupy an ever increasing majority of library budgets, and prevent them from expanding services in other areas. There are few attractive options for libraries who want to provide access to research materials to users in a way that is cost effective and simple for users. Libraries are caught between increasingly unsustainable “Big Deal” subscriptions to large research collections and article-level purchasing that is either not instant or must allow expensive access to everyone, greatly increasing costs. In the past, Resource Sharing and Interlibrary Loan has helped users gain access to research material far beyond what their libraries could afford as a single institution. Going forward, resource sharing can offer a variety of options for libraries to provide users instant access to research material in a way that is convenient yet cost effective. The IDS Project at SUNY Geneseo developed the Article Gateway software application that integrates with enterprise library software and vendor web services, providing SUNY libraries with more options for access to research materials. Using Resource Sharing technology, SUNY Libraries have been building a pilot project to automate verification of copyright and licensing, determine the best price for purchase from article vendors, and create user profiles and system configuration that will allow more refined purchasing of research articles and other content. This opens up another method for SUNY Libraries to meet the information needs of its researchers, faculty, and students, and helps to ensure that content is delivered in the most seamless and cost effective manner, which will allow libraries to redistribute funds tied up in subscriptions.