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Foundation of Library and Information Science

Notes
4. Journals: ISAC library identified 12 costly journals worth `5.55 lakhs having
overlapping subscriptions and came forward to propose their cancellation. Similar
lists are being prepared by other libraries. Selected list of free e-journals worth
` 2.37 lakhs and selected list of e-journals available free against print subscriptions
worth ` 21.50 lakhs prepared by ISAC library were also circulated among all ISRO
libraries to consider cancellation of print subscriptions and to depend on free/
complimentary e-journals. It was decided to avail the offer by all libraries concerned,
thus saving about ` 2.45 lakhs per year. It is interesting to note that subscription to
‘Material science and technology’ is $1429 whereas subscription to second copy cost
only $525 thus a saving of ` 45200 per year on second copy alone. For a large number
of journals, publishers/suppliers have either not responded or positively responded
with concessional multiple copy/combination subscription prices. Hence, it was
decided to go ahead with renewals of such journals for the year 2002 in the usual
way with a note to review them periodically for future pricing policies.
5. E-Journals: Combination subscriptions like one print and additional copy in e-
form save almost 80% to libraries. Similarly IEEE’s electronics library (IEL) option
has a huge saving if ultimate users are prepared for accepting e-journals. In addition
to all IEEE Journals, conference proceedings and standards, it provides free access to
back issues since 1988, access to IEE journals and conference proceedings as well as
a subset of INSPEC database hyper-linked to original articles. It has been decided to
put these two options before users and library committees in the form of sample/
trial access to e-journals to assess the acceptance of users and take decision later in
due course if user-acceptance to e-journals is positive. On a trial basis, ISAC library
has decided to go for e-version of IEE proceedings in combination with print
subscription of other ISRO libraries saving `9600.
6. Other issues: The meeting also deliberated other related issues like effective use of
‘space net’ for resource sharing among ISRO libraries, division of archiving
responsibility for bound journals, exploring ways of resource sharing in other areas
like less costly information materials, standards, patents and planning for developing
digital collections. It was also proposed to use substantial part of the savings achieved
through this effort to build infrastructure needed for developing digital collections.

Questions:
1. Write down the case facts.
2. What do you infer from it?
Source: http://eprints.rclis.org/9169/1/J44_ResShareISRO.pdf

5.6 Summary

Resource sharing, in fact, extends the scope of library cooperation to include certain
reciprocity and partnership in which each participant has something useful to contribute
as well as to receive from others.
The basic activity of resource sharing is aimed at maximising the availability of library
materials and services at the minimal expense.
The concept of library networking to aid information resource sharing and support
activities in libraries has become a real necessity.

One of the significant aspects that needs attention is that each participating library should
have a clear cut policy as regards the type of resources it would be in a position to share’
with other member libraries.

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