Acquiring Networked Resources: RUL Policies and Procedures

Draft Principles for Acquiring Networked Resources

J. Boyle, H. Hemmasi, R. Sewell
11/16/98

Note: the following draft principles are only a part of what will be a fuller set of principles and guidelines for the Libraries as we make electronic resources available and work to implement the long-range plan. As further issues are discussed and consensus is reached these guideline will be expanded. For comments or suggestions, please contact J. Boyle, H. Hemmasi or R. Sewell.

I. Systemwide resource acquisition

1. The Libraries acquire electronic resources, as other formats, as part of a robust service program that serves the needs of the University community and to implement the goals and activities outlined in A Bridge To The Future: The Rutgers Digital Library Initiative, the Libraries long-range plan. The Libraries will negotiate agreements with information providers and vendors that further this service program. Basic capabilities that the service program requires are the ability to fill interlibrary loan requests and to print, download, and email information from electronic resources. The Rutgers community must be able to use electronic resources for normal educational and research purposes. Agreements that preserve copyright fair use and recognize educational and library exemptions in copyright law are encouraged.

2. The Libraries will negotiate pricing and access arrangements that are most favorable to the University community. The Libraries also take into account the still-developing understanding of pricing and acquisition models in the information community, and the need to make agreements that set favorable precedents both for Rutgers and for the larger national academic community. As responsible agents for an institution, librarians must negotiate licenses that address the institution's needs and recognize its obligations to the licensor.

3. The Libraries acquire information resources in all formats in support first of all for Rutgers faculty, students and staff, including administrators, at all locations. Further considerations may also be given to the needs of statewide, regional and national user communities, for example in the light of consortial arrangements that further Rutgers goals.

4. The Libraries strive to license or acquire information such that unrestricted access is available for the entire Rutgers community on all campuses and at all Rutgers University remote research and learning locations; negotiations with vendors will stress that Rutgers is one community, not several.

5. Authorized Rutgers users comprise all faculty, students and staff of the University wherever they are located, and all onsite users. Rutgers University sites are defined as every campus location, physical and virtual, as well as remote research and learning locations.

6. Presently our preferred means of access is through site license, with the Rutgers site being defined as all IP addresses within the *.rutgers.edu host domains.

7. Presently our preferred method for determination of pricing and for control of use is by number of simultaneous users. Other measures of use may also be acceptable as the basis of formulas for determining cost and measuring access. Size (e.g. FTE or collections budget), geographic spread, or other quantitative measures of the University should not be used to determine pricing or to define access.

8. The University, through the University Librarian, has delegated the responsibility for negotiating the financial terms and site licenses for large purchases made with central funds to the Associate University Librarian for Collection Development and Management.

   Responsibilities for acquiring other networked resources will be carried out by the Associate University Librarian for Technical and Automated Services, who will establish site licenses and institutional registrations for these resources.

   Additionally, the AUL/TAS will ensure the processes of tracking the progress of all requests, arranging technical and catalog access as appropriate, and notifying public services representatives as new resources become available locally. The Head of the Systems Department provides support by maintaining the list of defined IP addresses for all networked resources.

   Agreements made by other Library staff are not authoritative (including, e.g. the definition of IP addresses or user communities).