Announcing Consortialink
Consortialink is a new service connecting libraries and publishers of academic and professional research. Managed by specialist division Publishers Communications Group (PCG), Consortialink answers consortia demands to negotiate electronic subscriptions and access to research publications via a single Web interface.Consortialink is specifically geared to providing access to research content produced by small-to-medium-sized, quality publishers who want to satisfy consortia demand, but have limited sales resources. Acting as an intermediary between libraries and publishers, the program offers library consortia an easy way of acquiring the whole of participating publishers’ online content collections at heavily discounted prices, while providing publishers with access to new markets. Through the adoption of a standard license agreement it reduces the amount of negotiation required, while providing access through a single Web interface simplifies integration of the content into the library’s existing online resources.
Launched to the publishing community just last month, 12 publishers have already signed up to take part in the program producing a total of 174 scientific, technical and medical journals. Participating publishers include Arnold Publishers, Adis International, BIOS, CABI Publishing, the Royal Society of Medicine, and Urban & Fischer. And several more publishers are in active discussions.
Mary Attree, Journals Director at Arnold Publishers explains why: "For our part, we are very glad to be included in the program because we are committed to providing a service to librarians which offers value for money as well as high-quality content. As a medium-sized publisher of journals we do not have the human resources to spend the time negotiating with all the consortia that we would like and therefore it is a great help to have someone who can do this for us."
Library consortia have also been quick to support Consortialink. Tom Sanville, Executive Director of OhioLINK explains: "OhioLINK definitely prefers to sign deals which include access to as much quality content as possible while establishing a stable and sustainable economic relationship. That's why this concept makes so much sense. It would be impossible in the short-term to negotiate separate deals with many small publishers. We can sign a single agreement for a collection of titles that OhioLINK libraries choose."
Claire Ginn, Vice President, Consortia Services at PCG adds: "We are delighted to launch a service that provides a cost-effective solution to an increasingly common problem of securing consortia subscription rights to the electronic content produced by many quality publishers. Early indications show that we are truly fulfilling a need and we look forward to developing this program during 2002."
For more information about Consortialink, please contact Claire Ginn at consortialink@ingenta.com.