I argue that the role Electronic Resources Librarians (ERLs) have in licensing electronic content is the most relevant within the ERLs core responsibilities. While ERLs are rarely also lawyers, the role they play in educating stakeholders, negotiating with publishers and vendors, and crafting understanding of licensing terms is integral for the success of a rapidly growing and changing electronic collections environment. Due to this rapidly changing environment, it may be difficult for library science programs to stay current with course offerings in the current licensing best practices, and ERLs often-times have to learn these skills on the job. In this session I will highlight specific examples of library licensing language, including topics such as archival rights, perpetual access, interlibrary loan, and reserves, providing a foundation for the ERL's significant role in electronic content licensing. I will share insight into these examples of how I applied the curriculum I received during library school, on the job training, and unique personal experiences to inform the audience on how to navigate through electronic content licensing. I will demonstrate ways ERLs can continue their education and thus work more closely with stakeholders to foster support for the library's role in licensing. In addition, I will provide some insight as to how ERLs can manage these responsibilities along with the range of day-to-day responsibilities. Objectives: 1) Provide a framework for understanding the history and justification for the inclusion of licensing in the Core Competencies for ERLs 2) Outline resources for new librarians and students to engage in further education about electronic content licensing 3) Detail a toolkit for educating and advocating for a librarian's role in electronic content licensing Outcomes: Attendees will walk away with knowledge on how to build their licensing competency and advocate for the ERLs role in electronic content licensing. Presenter: Shannon Regan Licensed Content Librarian, Mercer University

1. Lassoing the Licensing Beast:
How Electronic Resources Librarians can
build competency and advocate for
wrangling electronic content licensing
Shannon Regan
Licensed Content Librarian
29th Annual NASIG Conference
May 3, 2014

2. NASIG CORE COMPETENCIES FOR ELECTRONIC
RESOURCES LIBRARIANS
• 1.2 Thorough knowledge of ER licensing and the
legal framework in which it takes place. Since
licenses govern the use of most library electronic
resources and have conditions that cannot
knowingly be violated, an ERL with responsibilities
related to licensing must demonstrate familiarity with
how and for whom an organization licenses content,
as well as the concepts, implications, and contract
language pertaining to such issues as archival rights,
perpetual access and interlibrary loan. A practical
working understanding of issues such as copyright
and fair use will allow ERLs to obtain the least
restrictive, most library-friendly licensing terms
during publisher/vendor license negotiations.

3. History
1985-2001
Licensing is a not a job requirement for
ERLs
2001-2007
License negotiation is mentioned in over
half of ERLs position descriptions surveyed
2007-Present
License negotiation is one of the Core
Competencies for ERLs

4. Learning about Licensing
Michael L. Bradford and others, “Education and Electronic Resources (ER) Librarianship,” Collection
Management, 32, no. 1/2 (2007): 65.

5. First Day
Some important questions to ask:
1.What is the current license review process?
2.Who is the authorized signatory?
3.Does your library have a relationship with the
University/General Counsel’s office? If so, who
is your contact?
4.What considerations must you keep in mind
with regard to your state or country’s contract
law?

6. After you get settled…
Familiarize yourself with and expand your
understanding of common library license language
Explore websites and options for continuing
education
Seek out a mentor
Library License Toolkit

7. Common Library License Language
The Good Old
Fashioned Print
Monograph!
Library License Toolkit

8. Common Library License Language
https://sites.google.com/site/licensecompare/
Created by: Liane Taylor, Continuing Resources Librarian, Texas State University
Library License Toolkit

9. SERU
(Shared Electronic Resource Understanding)
Library License Toolkit

10. Websites, Listservs, and Continuing
Education
Library License Toolkit
Electronic Resources in
Libraries Listserv
ALCTS e-Forum

11. Websites, Listservs, and Continuing
Education
Library License Toolkit

12. Websites, Listservs, and Continuing
Education
Library License Toolkit

13. Websites, Listservs, and Continuing
Education
Library License Toolkit

15. Educate to Advocate: Administrators
Perpetual Access
and
Archival Access
Library License Toolkit
4.2 Synthesizing easy to understand summaries of complex and ambiguous
phenomena. ERLs often serve as the library’s liaison with external stakeholders
such as vendors or institutional information technology staff.

16. Educate to Advocate: Administrators
Library License Toolkit

17. Build an institutional licensing
handbook
Things to include:
Model license language template with institution specific
language
- State/Country specific considerations
Negotiation Best Practices
-Draft negotiation email
Dealbreakers
Authorized Signatory Process

18. Educate to Advocate: Colleagues
Use liberally from your
handbook!
Cut and paste
Educate colleagues about
license process
Time
Number of people involved
Invite members of your
institution to be a part of the
conversation
4.3 Explaining and instructing clearly and concisely, when and as needed;
rises above personal feelings and frustrations in order to provide the best
possible services and resources to end users.

19. Educate to Advocate: Library users
What do users want to do with
electronic content?
Ebooks:
Evaluating ebook purchase
options to best serve the
needs of the library user
population
4.4 Demonstrating the ability to work collaboratively with other units and
staff, establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.

20. Now what?
The day-to-day realities of an ERL
7:30am Check and Respond to Email
8:00am Begin reviewing license
8:15am Phone call that students cannot access Ebsco Databases
9:30am Weekly phone call with ILL Department
10:00am Meeting with a publisher
10:30am Pick up license again
11:00am Colleague knocks on door to inquire about cancelling and then adding new
ejournal subscriptions
12:00pm Lunch
12:30pm Return from Lunch, Check Email
1:00pm-3:00pm work with Collection Development to provide collections data for a
grant application that we found out about today and is due in three business days
3:15pm Check and respond to email
3:45pm Pick up license again, finish, start drafting negotiation email
4:30pm Follow-up to access issue with Ebsco databases
4:45pm Finish draft negotiation email, leave open to review one final time in the
morning before sending

21. Questions?

22. Bibliography & Links
If you click on any of the images in my presentation, you will be directed to the
image creator. Some images are screen captures from websites.
Bradford, Michael L., Mark Dehmlow, Anastasia Guimaraes, M. Ladd, Pat Loghry, and March
Simons. “Education and Electronic Resources (ER) Librarianship.” Collection
Management, 32, no. 1/2 (2007): 49-69.
Downes, Kathy A., and Pal V. Rao. “Preferred Political, Social, and Technological
Characteristics of Electronic Resources (ER) Librarians.” Collection Management, 32, no.
½ (2007): 3-14.
Fisher, William. “The Electronic Resources Librarian Position: A Public Services
Phenomenon?” Library Collections, Acquisitions, & Technical Services, 27, no. 1
(2003): 3-17.
https://sites.google.com/site/librarylicensetoolkit/
https://sites.google.com/site/licensecompare/