2CUL has seen some success negotiating together for resource purchases, approval plans, and technical service services. In an effort to build on this success, it is important to prioritize consortial negotiation where possible.
Principles:
Whenever possible, selectors and technical services should consult with their 2CUL counterparts to gauge interest in joint approval plans, purchases, licensing, or renewals for accounts involving significant expenditure.
Strive to share and coordinate license review and renegotiation process, achieve separate but identical licenses, and complete signature process promptly.
The goals of any joint agreements should be to secure lower overall content and service fees and/or preferable terms of service.
Procedures:
Discovery or Selection Process - Selectors and technical services should regularly consult with their 2CUL counterparts to gauge interest in joint approval plans, purchases, licensing, or renewals. It is important for relevant parties to know about any 2CUL joint licensing and purchase discussions as early in the process as possible.
Selector contacts:
Columbia: http://library.columbia.edu/about/policies/collection-development/liaisons.html
Cornell: https://www.library.cornell.edu/about/collections/selectors
Communication Channels - We need clear communication for two primary purposes: ensuring that the right staff are aware of an upcoming arrangement and communicating the status of current and completed 2CUL joint arrangements:
To include collection development and licensing staff, send details and updates of any 2CUL joint offers to: 2CULoffers@libraries.cul.columbia.edu.
2CUL Joint Negotiation Page: https://confluence.cornell.edu/x/1oULEg
Ordering Process - Selectors should indicate that there is a 2CUL joint purchase on eNERF (Cornell) and E-Resource Order Form (Columbia)
License Review -
E-Resource units assign license review to an appropriate staff member.
Reviewers contact each other to address any concerns they have about the agreement.
One of the reviewers requests all license changes to vendor on behalf of 2CUL.
Each partner escalates review process as needed to collection development directors.
Once final license is determined and both partners are in agreement, the separate, but identical licenses are signed by appropriate parties.
Advantages and options for joint arrangements:
Locking two large institutions into an agreement may get us better pricing or service agreements.
Length of term of the agreement – multiple year agreements can typically lock in better pricing, lower annual increases, and/or additional content.
Multiple purchase – Both partners purchasing the materials at the same time saves the vendor time and effort in negotiation. They may be willing to pass that on as savings and/or preferable terms to the institutions.
- It could be possible for one staff member from 2CUL to negotiate the service terms for the partnership or test the potential outcomes, rather than performing these duties redundantly at each institution.