Presented at the Ohio Valley Group of Technical Services Librarians Conference 5/3/2012 Objectives: Develop a foundational understanding of a supply chain and the players/entities involved. Address the role the internet has played in reshaping supply chains. To demystify the “magic” of how electronic resources get from author to user.

1. So you’re looking at a .pdf:
Using the Model of a Supply Chain to
Understand Electronic Resources
Juleah Swanson
Electronic Resources & Access Librarian
Mary P Key Diversity Resident
The Ohio State University
Swanson.234@osu.edu
Ohio Valley Group of Technical
Services Librarians
2012 Conference
Evansville, IN
3 May 2012

3. Objectives
• Develop a foundational understanding of a supply
chain and the players/entities involved.
• Address the role the internet has played in
reshaping supply chains.
• To demystify the “magic” of how electronic
resources get from author to user.
This presentation itself is intended to be an
instruction tool for librarians, staff and those new
to electronic resources.

4. OUTLINE
What is a supply chain?
Who are the players?
Traditional model E-commerce model
How does this translate
to e-resources in
Libraries?

5. What is a supply chain?
Definitions:
1. Processes from the initial raw materials to the ultimate
consumption of the finished product linking across
supplier-user companies.
2. The functions within and outside a company that enable
the value chain to make products and provide services to
the customer
(APICS Dictionary, 8th Edition 1995)
A distributed network of entities interacting to deliver
products or services to the end customer, linking flows from
raw materials supplier to final delivery. (Ellram, 1991; Lee &
Ng 1997)

6. Generic Supply Chain
Raw Material Manufacturer Distributor Retail Customer

7. Example – Apparel Supply Chain
Cotton
Weave Dye/Finish
Apparel
Distributor
Retail

8. Who are the players: Raw material
Raw Material: Purchased items or extracted materials
that are converted via the manufacturing process into
component and/or products

9. Who are the players: Manufacturer
Manufacturer: a producer or fabricator of something.

10. Who are the players: Distributor
Distributor: A business that does not manufacture its own
products but purchases and resells these products.

11. Who are the players: Retail
Retail: The action or business of selling goods in relatively small
quantities for use or consumption rather than for resale.

12. Retail spaces:
Markets & Malls

13. Retail spaces:
Grocery Stores & Big Box stores

14. Who are the players: Customers
Customer: One who acquires ownership by long use or possession

15. Aligning supply chain examples
Ore Mine
Smelting
&
Manufacturing
Parts
Distributor
Auto Store Customer
Author Publisher Agent Library Patron
Example of the supply chain for a car part
Example of the supply chain for a print journal
Raw Material Manufacturer Distributor Retail Customer
Generic supply chain

16. Answers
Yes!
Ideas,
manuscript,
information,
research
Publisher
.pdf

17. What happens when you add the
internet?

18. eCommerce
The use of electronic networks to facilitate commercial
transaction.
What does this mean to the supply chain?
• Replacement of the physical
• Consolidation and/or invisibility of the players

19. Influence of eCommerce
Raw Material Manufacturer Distributor Retail Customer

20. Evolution of @ Amazon
Raw
Material/
Authors Publishers
Distributor & Retail

21. Evolution of bookselling @ Amazon
Raw
Material/
Author
Distributor
Publishing
Manufactures
devices
Virtual Retail space
Self
Publishing

22. What does this mean to electronic
resources in libraries?

23. Raw
Material
Manufacturer Distributor Retail Customer

24. How can this model be applied?
Raw Material Manufacturer Distributor Retail Customer
Troubleshooting

25. Questions, Comments, Ideas?
Juleah Swanson
Swanson.234@osu.edu