1. The role of Intermediaries & their Services Gavin Lewis, Business Solutions Manager SWETS

2. AGENDA Who are the Intermediaries Their role and function in the Information Chain How have they evolved their Services Why are they needed? The future?...

3. How does the Oxford Dictionary define us?.... [Intermediary] – a mediator, acting as mediator Other descriptions… Agent, Broker, middle-man, negotiator

4. The World without Agents

5. Intermediary The Role of an Agent Services Search Titles Order Claim Renew Invoicing Reporting Access Content Logistics Check-in

6. Who are the Agents? Swets Ebsco Harrassowitz Prenax Plus many local agents But many have fallen by the way side… Infocandy, Rowecom, Dawson, Everetts, Blackwell Plus many, many more.

7. Who do Agents Serve? Academic Libraries –Incl. regional Purchasing Consortia Government Libraries Health Libraries (incl. NHS) Local Authorities / Public Libraries Corporate Libraries (STM and Non STM)

8. Agent Library Publisher Commission Service Service charge How are agents financed?

9. Lets turn the clock back….

10. The Traditional Subscription Agent

11. Traditional Subscription Agent Services - Libraries Day to Day Management Single customer service contact (local language) One invoice source Simplified renewals and ordering Price analysis and management reporting Consolidation service

13. Traditional Subscription Agent Services - Publishers Financial Risk Management –Improve cash flow –Administrative management –From “many to one” Proactive renewal management Reduced Claims Management Information –Financial Information –Renewal Status Reports –Claims Reports Increased Visibility –Enhance publishers content to the market place –Active representation – Targetted Marketing

14. Advent of e –New Challenges and New Opportunities –Late 1990’s onwards… A wealth of scholarly and research content on the web –How do I know what is there? –How do I find it? –Can we control / measure who access it? Moving into e…..

15. New Services – New Opportunities – New Players

16. Online Content Hosts What are they and Why are they needed? Provide a single platform for Publisher’s e-journals: For publishers who prefer or need a third party to provide this technical solution Enables (Library) users to search across a large amount of content via a single interface Allows administrators to manage their e Journals more efficiently

17. Examples of Online Content Hosts Atypon HighWire Press IngentaConnect Plus SwetsWise Online Content EBSCONET

18. Authentication Services What are they? –A technical solution; allowing single sign-on to a range of electronic resources Why do we need them? –Publishers need to monitor who is accessing content –Ensures only the right people/groups are accessing content –Commercial implications – usage based pricing –Reduces administrative burden

19. Authentication Services - Who are they? IP Addresses Athens UK Access Management Federation –(Shibboleth) Nb; Log-in prompts are placed on Subscription Agent portals

20. E-Content Aggregators What do they do? Transform published e-content from various sources to create a new product / dataset available via a single platform Why are they needed? Simplifies purchasing and access administration Provides added value An affordable alternative to e-journals They can be subject focussed

21. E-Content Aggregators - Examples OVID Medline / PubMed Proquest EDINA (A JISC Iniative) EBSCO Databases

22. ERM System Vendors What are they? A technical Solution for libraries –To help with the management of e-content -Electronic Library Systems -Electronic Cataloguing -Facilitating access to online content Why do we need them? Managing electronic content effectively in the Library Simplifies and reduces administrative burden

23. Examples of ERM Vendors SirsiDynix Ex – Libris - Metalib Serials Solutions – 360 Resource Manager Plus SwetsWise eSource Manager Ebsco ERM Essentials

24. Link Resolvers What are they? A technical solution using Open URL to ensure that a user will find the content they have rights to access They ensure that an Institutions content is made visible Why do we need them? Speeds up access to content Avoid dead links Helps libraries get value for money

25. Open URL Link Resolvers - Examples Ex-Libris – SFX EBSCO – LinkSource SwetWise Linker OCLC – World Cat Link Manager

26. Federated Search Engines What are they? They enable the user to search across multiple sources from one interface Content sources ILS/OPAC Why are they needed? Exposure of resources Saves time for Users Provides an alternative to Google!!

27. Subscription Agents have had to move with the times…

28. Content Negotiators What are they? Provide a front line negotiation service for Library Consortia and global organisations for access to e-Content Why are they needed? To represent institutions, grouped together with similar aims and objectives Save time and money Provide valuable industry advise

29. Examples of Content Negotiators JISC Collections – The JISC Content Procurement Company Ltd IReL – Irish Research elibrary CHEST (Eduserv) In other sectors… Heal link – Greece NHS Global Pharmaceutical Companies

30. So,,, What are we left with?? Libraries/Institutions Regional/National Consortia Corporate Organisations Publishers -Journals - Datasets - eBooks Subscription Agents Authentication Services Link Resolvers Online Content Hosts eBook Sellers Content Negotiators Content Aggregators

31. Recent Developments eBooks Intermediaries looking to capture increasing library eBook Budgets Still looking to facilitate order / access of eBook content Varying Licence models, access models, pricing models –Perpetual access vs Subscription

32. Intermediaries and Open Access Dependency on the traditional Publishing Model Intermediaries looking for opportunities to support and facilitate any Open Access marketplace.....any scenario ends with many to many. Help to drive for standards and technical compatibility

33. We are left with Complexity… Intermediaries can deliver simplicity Can all the technologies employed by the individual vendors be harmonised to work as one??? Healthy competition is valuable to the customer – As it will mean vendors are forced to work with one another Intermediaries are key in quick flow of communication

34. Thank you for listening…… Any Questions?? Gavin Lewis Business Solutions Manager glewis@uk.swets.com (#00 44) 1235 857746