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A comprehensive plan by UGC & INFLIBNET to provide e-resource subscriptions for universities, challenges, solutions, and roadmap for implementation.
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E-Resources Subscription for the UniversitySystem: An initiative from UGC&INFLIBNET By Dr. T. A.V. Murthy tav@inflibnet.ac.in
Overview • E-resource subscription scope : users, resources • Evolving model • Implementation mechanism • Pilot work • Further initiatives
Who are our users? • Universities • Total No. : 273 • UGC assisted : 150+ • INFLIBNET supported : 142 These 142+ universities - core group to begin with • Colleges • More than 14,000 • Govt.- 20%, Private – 80%
What is the journal collection base? • Current journals collection • Average number of titles subscribed: 250 • 60% titles : Indian publications • Few universities do not subscribe to any foreign journals • Abstracting/ indexing journals (e.g) • Chemical Abstracts : 25 (98 Chemistry Depts) • Biological Abstracts : 9 (101 Biological Sciences Depts)
Why is this problem? • Known universal problem • Increase in price • Fluctuation in conversion rates • No proportionate funding to sustain the collection • What is the way out? • Large number of journals are available in e-form • Access is provided on the Internet through web • Subscription under consortia/ national site licensing
Therefore the initiative of e-resources subscription from UGC & INFLIBNET in the 10th Five year plan to provide wider and larger access to electronic journals and databases
What does e-resources subscription cover? • Full text of journals • Bibliographic databases like Chemical Abstracts, Psychological Abstracts • Other sources
An evolving model • Provides access to and supports only electronic version • Not to be linked with print subscription • Perpetual access to subscribed resources Archival access for back issues Provision for DDS/ILL • Few print subscription proposed • Subscription for minimum 3 years initially • To be reviewed at the end of three years
How is it being implemented? • In phase manner • Universities : In Groups • Subject : Four • Resources : journals & bib. databases • Major funding (up to 90%) from UGC • INFLIBNET to administer, maintain and monitor • Potential resources to be identified through experts consultation involving universities • Participating university to sign an MoU with UGC & INFLIBNET • Start with a pilot work in select disciplines
Major issues involved • Identification of universities to be served • Identification of resources to be provided • Identification of potential publishers/vendors/aggregators
The pilot work • To start with 4 disciplines identified • Biological Sciences • Chemistry • Mathematics • Physics • A expert group is formed in August 2002 • Interaction with 142 universities initiated
Identification of universities • Selection from 142 universities using following criteria: • Universities having • departments in selected four disciplines • number of faculty members • students • number of PhDs • NAAC accreditation • network infrastructure • research contribution in terms of publications
Identification of e-resources • Bibliographical / abstracting databases proposed • BIOSIS Previews : Biological Sciences • Chemical Abstracts : Chemistry • INSPEC : Physics & allied areas • MathSciNet : Mathematics
Identification of e-resources… • Selection of full text e-journals • Complex issue • User base is large(150+ universities) • Difficult to get inputs from universities • User information • Existing journal collection information • Large number of journal titles • Too many in the game • Publishers • Vendors • Aggregators
Identification of e-resources… • Selection of full text e-journals… • Sources/ tools used • Journal Citation Report (ISI) • Journals covered by Current Contents • Journals research institutions • Journals database at INFLIBNET • Comprehensive core list of journals prepared based on the above sources
Identification of potential publishers/aggregators & others • Publishers • Non-profit making • University Presses (e.g. OUP,CUP) • Professional Societies (e.g. ACS, IoP) • Research Organizations (e.g. CSIRO, NRC) • Scholarly Publications initiatives (e.g. SPARC) • Commercial publishers • Aggregators
Immediate tasks • Selection of the following: Number & names of universities • Bibliographical databases • Core list of journals • Potential publishers/vendors/aggregators
What next? • Extend this initiative to other areas including Humanities & Social sciences
Summary • E-subscription - major initiative of UGC & INFLIBNET • Identification of potential users & resources is a complex process • Model in the evolving phase • Started on a pilot basis for four disciplines • Success depends on university participation & co-operation • Long term support from Govt. & UGC required