Study On Purchasing Electronic Information Resources In Library

Electronic information resources have been favored by libraries as well as users because of their functions and capability of remote searching. To some extent, electronic information resources can not only satisfy users, but also improve service means and levels.The rapid development of electronic information resources make libraries attach more importance to building electronic collections. Purchasing electronic information resources involves many sectors. We must think carefully how to construct and develop electronic collections.To begin with, this paper introduces the evolution and characteristics of elctronic information resources. Then, the pricing models and purchasing models are analysed and summarized. Next, the author probes into the principles, evaluation criteria and flows in purchasing electronic resources. At last, the strategies and suggestions for persistent and wholesome collection development are emphasized.This paper comprises five chapters.The first chapter introduces the evolution and characteristics of elctronic information resources. The development of electronic resources has experienced some changes. For example, they change from little scope to marketing and industrialization, from encapsulated resources to networked resources, from index/abstract to full text, from electronic edition of printed journals to originally surveying report. Compared to printed resources, electronic resources have the following characteristics: large size, rapid growth, timely updating, wide coverage, standard formats, efficient search functions, flexible displays and outputs, extensibility, etc.The second chapter analyses the operating patterns,pricing models and authentication system of electronic resources. Electronic resources have been operated as three models. Publishing companies or research institutions, academies, associations provide their own information via network. Database agents andintermediaries provide gateway. Database aggregators or A&I's provide links to full text. Now driven by libraries,publishers and development of products and information technologies, pricing models of electronic resources have bevome more complicated and diversificated. There are mainly five pricing models, such as derivatives of subscription price, simultaneous users, population-based models, usage-based pricing, and pay-per-view. Publishers must provide services for accredited subscribers and exclude others,they adopt various models of user authentication and network control.The next chapter discusses purchasing models for electronic resources. Electronic resources have various hierarchy, such as common and elementary, integrated and multisubject, specialized and marginal. Various resources of hierarchy determine the models of purchasing, mainly comprising single library self determination purchase and consortium purchase. Consortium purchase have become main purchasing models of Occident developed countries because of its advantages of price and talent. In China, we take consortium purchase mode in importing foreign electronic resources. Our country have practiced state purchase, system purchase, multi region/province purchase successfully.Chapter four probes into the principles and evaluation criteria. At first, some principles must be followed, such as pertinence principle, system principle, coordination principle, quality selection principle, realism principle, plan principle and economy principle. Then, objective judgement and evaluation criteria in purchasing electronic resources should be developed. Electronic resources can be evaluated from content, search system and function, services of publiser/database producers, use and access, value and cost-efficiency, archiving and backfile, etc.Chapter five summarizes the flow in purchasing elctronic resources. Libraries will experience repetitious discussing and decision making in purchasing electronic resources. Commonly, the process will comply with some flow and criterion. At first, electronic collection development targets and system structures are established,resources information and budgets are collected, and pre-evalution of resources is completed. Then, we apply for probation or demo, carry out post-evaluation about the resources, making decisions on whether purchase or not. At last, if we decide to bye, we have to choose purchasing mode and negotiate price, sign admission agreement or contract, offer services in due form afterwards. Undoutely, we must pay attention to some strategies in every process.In the last chapter, strategies and suggestions for persistent and wholesome collection development are emphasized. We must make purchasing more scientific and rational, insure the outlay for purchasing electronic resources, try to improve the quality of purchasing staff, strengthen integration of resources and training for information resources, adjust purchasing strategies according to usage statistics and cost-efficiency analysis.