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