Fear Factor, Amazing Race, or Survivor: Threats & Opportunities for Libraries and Publishers in the Post-Subscription Age

John McDonaldChief Information Officer

Claremont University ConsortiumThe Claremont Colleges Library

The Claremont Colleges Library

September 16, 2011

Fear Factor, Amazing Race, or Survivor?

Threats & Opportunities for Libraries and Publishers in the Post-Subscription Age


Claremont

Thank You!

Dancing with

the Stars


A bit about us…

http://www.prlog.org/10418953-top-graduate-school-cgu.jpg


“My own very deep hope is that instead of one great, undifferentiated university, we might have a group of institutions divided into small colleges - somewhat on the Oxford type - around a library and other utilities which they would use in common. In this way I should hope to preserve the inestimable personal values of the small college while securing the facilities of a great university.”

- James A. Blaisdell, 1923

Blaisdell’s Vision


Why Fear Factor, Amazing Race, Survivor?

Fear Factor: What scares me? What scares you?

Amazing Race: What opportunities are there for Libraries? Are they the same for

publishers?

Survivor: What ensures our continued relevancy? What features will allow us to

evolve?


What can the library do to stay relevant in the lives of the community?

Still relevant after all these years?

• Location• Space/Place• Collections• Access• Expertise• Free Wireless


Where’s all the money?


What is our identity: Collections or Services?


Evolution of Technology, Is it a Sprint or a Marathon?


Do we have enough stuff?


What should society publishers fear?


Where are the

authors

going?


The Big Deal: Still locking in libraries after all these years!


Who determines your prestige?

Photo: Scott Beale / laughingsquid.com


Where are our opportunities?


Collect information… but make it discoverable


Help users manage information


Technology in Libraries

Always innovative?

Always disruptive?


Sunsets lead to Sunrises

http://www.librarything.com/work/1797649


Subscriptions don’t matter, Usage does!


What will ultimately ensure our survival?


Evaluation…Assessment…

Return on Investment…

Do we know what value we provide?


Usage Based Pricing…and other creative models• It’s not pay-per-view.

• Pricing more like a Utility (e.g. Water, Gas, and Electricity)

• Not all Usage is Created Equal

• First Use = Content Fee

• Second (or more) use(s) = Convenience Fee

• Third (or more) use(s) = Utility Fee


Non-annual subscriptions?

• Access terms are flexible, especially term lengths

• Some resources are always needed, others for defined times

• Term lengths

• Short term rentals (one month, one semester, etc.)

• Turn on / Turn off content based on need

• On demand (by users, even?)


Drive them

to relate

d conten

t


New types of content and new formats


September 16, 2011

We have nothing to fear…we

just need to survive the

race.

Education

Fear Factor, Amazing Race, or Survivor: Threats & Opportunities for Libraries and Publishers in the Post-Subscription Age