Oxford Scholarship Online: latest result from a successful partnership
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the world's largest university press, with a multi-disciplinary publishing program of journals, books, reference works and a wide variety of online products. Oxford University Press's mission is to ensure that the best research reaches the widest possible audience, whether through print or online channels. The Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objectives of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide.OUP's Oxford Scholarship Online, designed and powered by Ingenta, is just one of the sites through which this forward-looking press supports its creative approach to delivering its product portfolio to as many different audiences as possible via a continually updated online channel. This case study provides an update on the latest developments with the OUP/Ingenta partnership.
The partnership between OUP and Ingenta dates back to 1999. Between 2002 and 2003, Ingenta built the award-winning and successful Oxford Scholarship Online site, which launched in November 2003 and now delivers the full text of over 1,000 of the very best scholarly books in the humanities and social sciences to a global institutional user population. Each book is accompanied by newly-commissioned abstracts and keywords with over 12,000 having been commissioned since launch. Fully searchable full-text XML, with more than 65,000 MathML equations, and delivering continually evolving content in languages as diverse as Sanskrit and Arabic, Oxford Scholarship Online is a highly complex and dynamic site, and breaks new ground in the delivery of high-level research and teaching content. Up to 200 new frontlist titles are added to the collection each year.
The latest plans for the site reflect Oxford's ongoing commitment to listening and responding to its customers' needs. The rich and diverse content within OSO has the potential to be delivered in ways that take true advantage of online capabilities for granular discovery and focused use – and for new and creative online business models. Very much in line with Ingenta's new focus on information commerce and its developing information commerce software, OUP is examining how to offer more product choice to its users. The objective is to broaden the access and license options for users worldwide, many of whom have very different interests, needs and budgets.
Traditionally, Oxford University Press has offered its databases on a subscription model. However, in response to market feedback OUP launched a new purchase model for OSO at this summer’s American Library Association meeting in Chicago. This new perpetual access model means that libraries now have the option to own – as well as subscribe to – the full collection or to individual subject modules.
Awards for Oxford Scholarship Online
Finalist, Best Online Reference Service – SIIA CODiE Awards 2005
SIIA (Software & Information Industry Association) is the principal trade association for the software and digital content industry. The CODiE Awards holds the distinction of being the only peer-recognition awards program of its kind in the industry.
Honorable Mention for Best Electronic Product 2003 – Humanities
Association of American Publishers, Professional/Scholarly Publishing Division
Praise for Oxford Scholarship Online
"well-designed and easy-to-navigate environment... [the] flexible pricing scheme and module selection model should entice many institutions to subscribe. The quality features, sophisticated search functionality, and additional online content that OUP is providing are numerous, and the content speaks for itself."
Library Journal's netConnect, January 2004
"The Bottom Line: For ease of use, user-friendly design, and quality texts, Oxford Scholarship Online is among the best I have ever used ... Highly recommended"
Library Journal