Swets supports Library Choice

What is Library Choice?
Library Choice is basically about supporting customer choice. The principle is that a library or consortium should be free to order via preferred methods and not be made to order through any particular channel. Library Choice enables the agent to support any deal which has been negotiated with a publisher, by an individual library or a consortium. In this way, the customer will get the assistance they need - in the form of agency services - with the extra work associated with the access and management of e-journal collections, while being able to take advantage of preferential pricing or terms negotiated by a buying group or consortium.

Support for Libraries
As the number of publishers offering e-content continues to grow, the role of the librarian is increasingly defined by the volume of work associated with providing access to and management of e-collections. Subscribing to a large package of e-journals, either individually or through a consortium, whilst providing greater access, typically creates more work for administrative, serials and technical staff. Not knowing precisely which titles and years are included in a deal makes collection management difficult and time consuming and this lack of detail makes content linking and discovery difficult, if not impossible. Factors such as these may compromise or even prevent libraries from fulfilling their key role - enabling intuitive, seamless access to their information collections.
Agents and publishers understand that many libraries are struggling in this challenging environment. In response, the ASA have collaborated with publishers to develop the Library Choice initiative. Library Choice enables libraries to take advantage of publisher deals, in terms of price and features, whilst remaining free to order through preferred channels and retain valuable agent services which help them achieve their information access and management goals.

Value and Service from Agents
In cases where a deal calls for direct interaction between the library/consortium and the publisher, the Library Choice pledge enables agents to deliver services where required without restrictions, for example processing new orders, renewals and claims, providing accurate and timely pricing information, title-level management information, historical holdings information (including cost-per-use data), COUNTER & SUSHI compliant usage data and delivering newer services, including assistance with publisher negotiations, cost comparison calculations and sophisticated, pre-populated ERM services.

Endorsement from Publishers
By signing a Library Choice letter, publishers pledge their support for libraries and consortia to have a choice, for example to place their orders with an agent or, if they prefer direct. Where an agent is preferred, the agent becomes the billing and payment partner, and provides both library and publisher with management data: a win-win for everyone. Click here to see the growing list of publishers who have endorsed Library Choice to date.

How Can You Get Involved?
As stated above, the list of publishers that have signed up to Library Choice is growing. However we would like more publishers to participate and to achieve this, we need you to promote Library Choice amongst your publisher contacts, and ask them to contribute to the growing number of written endorsements.

If you would like further information on Library Choice please contact your local Swets representative or visit http://www.subscription-agents.org/library-choice.