Understanding Subscription Agents: Roles, Services, and Relationships in Resource Management

1. UKSG - Serials Resource Management Seminar 12th October 2005 University of Bristol Claire Terry – Business Development Manager

2. Agenda UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 • Who are Subscription Agents • What do Subscription Agents do • How we are financed • Services to libraries • The move to online access • Consortia and multi-site management • Services to publishers • New roles and changing relationships • Summary

3. Who are the Agents? UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 • Swets Information Services • EBSCO • Harrasowitz • Local providers (eg. Maruzen – Japan) • New players: InfoCandy, Prenax

4. What does an Agent do? UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005

5. Publisher Publisher Publisher Publisher Publisher Publisher Publisher AGENT Library Library Library Library Library Library Library What does an Agent do? UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005

6. Service Service charge How is the Agent financed? UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 Service Publisher Agent Library Commission Large Volume (Swets > $1,000,000,000) Small Margin (single %s or fixed fee)

7. Who do Subscription Agents serve? UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 • Academic Libraries • Government Libraries • Health Libraries (NHS) • Local Authorities/Public Libraries • Corporations/corporate libraries – R&D and otherwise • Academic libraries tend to be core, in most cases over 60% of a Subscription Agent’s turnover.

8. Traditional services to libraries UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 Print subscriptions: • Single customer service contact (local language) • Industry specialists • One renewal invoice • Simplified ordering and payment • Consolidation service • Management reports (holdings lists, quotations) • Consortia buying Buy, access and manage

9. The move to online access UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 • E-Journal reports to Libraries • Assistance with planning and decision making • Pricing and information

10. Order, Renew, Upgrade, Cancel, Claim UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 • Submit orders & upgrades to publishers • IP addresses, licence agreements, publishers references, password requests, upgrades of subscriptions • Claim for missing access • Subscription information retained after cancellation • Automated free with print set up • Set up via aggregator service or direct with the publishers

11. Maintaining control of e-journal subscriptions UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 • Gateway services (SwetsWise Online Content, EBSCO Host) • Full-text databases (ProQuest, Dialog, EBSCO Publishing) • A-Z Services (TD Net, Serials Solutions) • Link Resolvers (SFX, 1Cate, SwetsWise Linker) • Library’s own service

12. Gateway services UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 • Alphabetical title list • Advanced article search functionality • Single interface and point of access

13. Underlying Principles UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 • Depth of content • Ease of access – IP, username and password, ATHENS Single Sign On • User familiarity • Total management • Cumulative usage statistics - COUNTER

14. Buying online UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 • SwetsWise Subscriptions

15. Managing online UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005

16. Underlying principles UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 • Desk top ordering • Budget control • Approval process • Duplication • Maverick spend • Credit card payment • E-procurement linking • Online reporting • Searchable catalogue

17. Consortia and Multi-site Management:new and complex challenges in e-world UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 • E-journals more frequently offered in packages • Negotiated/customized prices • Consortia buying to obtain better deals • The agents’ response: • Dedicated specialists • Services for consortia & multi-sited organizations • Extensive knowledge of e-deals • Works closely with libraries to meet objectives

18. Services to publishers UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 • Financial risk management • Help cash flow • Administrative management • “Many to one” • EDI • Marketing/visibility • Agents can enable publishers enhance their position in the market

19. Services to publishers UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 • Management Information • Renewal Status Report, Online Conversion Rates • Participation in online Gateway services • E.g. SWOC, EbscoHost • Market Information • E.g. E-Journal Survey, Price Increase Report • Consortia / Multi Site Services

20. New roles and changing relationships UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 - Publishers dealing direct - Often partner and competitor - Decisions made outside the library – IT, Purchasing department - Consortia Purchasing – agent as negotiator - Increase in use of outsourced services - Budget restraints – increase use of consolidation - End users - Amazon & Google - Pay per view - Decreased margins - New players - Increased expectation from customers and publishers

21. Summary UKSG – Serials Resource Managment Seminar 12th October 2005 • The key intermediary between publishers and subscribers, covering all markets • Single point of contact • Provide services that offer both administrative and financial benefit • Industry expertise in an environment of rapid change