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                  JISC COLLECTIONS UPDATE          

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                  Issue 6, June 2002
                (http://www.jisc.ac.uk)


JISC Collections Update - formerly DNER Collections 
Update - is a regular e-mail newsletter designed to inform 
those responsible for managing local and institutional 
collections about JISC Collections activities and 
developments.

Contents

1. Beyond the DNER
2. Update: The Farming and Countryside Index
3. In Brief
   - JISC Reference Portfolio - first products to be 
     launched
   - Wiley electronic references works available NOW
   - Electronic books - first subject mapping projects under way
   - Consultation on the Economist
   - Athens authentication and NESLI journals
4. BIOSIS Dataset Service at EDINA
5. Project COUNTER   
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1. Beyond the DNER 

Although the establishing of a distributed national 
electronic resource is still a key part of the JISC 5-year 
strategy, and it is still being developed in line with the 
DNER Vision Statement at 
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/pub99/dner_vision.html, there are, 
however, new factors that suggest it is time to move beyond
"the DNER" as the name for this vision and for the JISC to 
find more relevant ways to communicate its activities and 
its underlying objectives. For further details, please see:

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/dner/JISCLondon.html

In line with this transition, this e-mail newsletter has 
been re-named JISC Collections Update. In July, the new 
JISC website will not have a discrete DNER site, but will 
have Collections information fully integrated with other 
JISC activities and developments. Full announcements about 
the new website will be made during July.

                  ------------------------

2. Update: Farming and Countryside Index

JISC is very pleased to announce the forthcoming addition 
of Update: The Farming and Countryside Index to its 
portfolio of collections.

Update is a database of citations from a variety of sources,
covering a wide range of topics including rural affairs,
environmental studies, leisure and tourism, backed by a 
document supply service.  It's approach is practical as well
as scholarly, covering the popular and trade press as well 
as indexing trade reports, grey literature and relevant 
articles from peer-reviewed journals.  Below is some 
feedback on the service that has been received:

"A good database that students can assess easily and use 
with few problems. A definite favourite with them!"

"UPDATE's coverage of the grey literature is outstanding 
and we find it a very valuable tool."

"the majority of references within British publications is 
relevant to our courses, which have a British focus; 
publications scanned are of a level suitable for both FE and
HE student use."

"Indexes many journals not indexed elsewhere, and to which 
we subscribe."

"Good introductory example of what a journals index is, and 
how it works...we always start our tutorials with UPDATE 
because of that".

Update : the Farming and Countryside Index will continue to be
produced by the Information Services Department of the 
University of Wales,Aberystwyth, with some data contributed 
by the Royal Agricultural College and Harper Adams 
University College. UPDATE originated as a print based 
service in the Welsh Agricultural College in Aberystwyth 30 
years ago. It will now be hosted online by EDINA, a 
JISC-funded National Data Centre offering a robust
infrastructure, improved functionality and speed of 
searching.  A trialservice will be available in July 2002 
with the full service being launched in August 2002.

Prices are based on the principles of the new bandings 
system and are as
follows:

Band		Cost (£)
A		900
B		850
C		800
D		750
E		700
F		650
G		600
H		550
I		500
J		450

These prices have been subsidised by over 100% by the JISC.
To check your institution's banding, go to
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/dner/collections/newbanding.html

For information regarding the launch of the service and 
when a free trial will become available please see 
http://www.edina.ac.uk/update 

or contact their helpdesk: [log in to unmask]

For information on how to subscribe and to download the 
sub-licence agreement (from July 2002) please go to
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/dner/collections/licensing.html and 
click on
"UPDATE", or contact our helpdesk at [log in to unmask] or 
[log in to unmask]

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3. In Brief

 - JISC Reference Portfolio - first products to be launched

The recent community consultation on two leading reference 
services, Oxford Reference Online and XReferPlus, has been
extremely successful.  Final agreements have been reached 
for both, and details on how to subscribe will be available
shortly from the JISC web site.  Further information is 
available from Louise Edwards, JISC Collections Manager 
([log in to unmask]).  For product trials, contact 
Susanna Lob at Oxford University Press ([log in to unmask]) or 
Daryl Rayner at XRefer ([log in to unmask]).

 - Wiley electronic references works available NOW

The JISC offer on Wiley electronic reference works is 
available now.  These exciting new electronic versions of 
well-established titles in science, engineering and 
technology have proved popular with both HE and FE 
institutions and are all accessible via Wiley's 
Interscience interface.  New subscribers can find 
documentation on the JISC Web site.  Further information is
available from Louise Edwards, JISC Collections Manager 
([log in to unmask]).  For product trials, contact 
Tony Gwyther ([log in to unmask]).

 - Electronic books - first subject mapping projects under 
way

The JISC E-Books Working Group is aiming to introduce 
e-book collections in a number of key subject areas over 
the next twelve months.  A series of subject-based seminars
will promote awareness of e-book products and services, 
explore attitudes to e-books, identify issues around the 
introduction of e-books and establish priorities in 
collection building.  The first of these are in business 
and management (16th July, Aston University, Birmingham) 
and engineering (18th July, Aslib, London).  For further 
details, contact Louise Edwards, JISC Collections Manager 
([log in to unmask]).

 - Consultation on the Economist

In early 2002 the JISC Collections Team consulted in 
relation to an offer for access to the Economist. 
Unfortunately, there was insufficient interest to be able 
to proceed with this offer, as the pricing was dependent on
a high level of take-up.  However, fresh negotiations have 
started with Economist.com for access to the Economist 
through Economist.com (full-text of the magazine plus 
additional content) and JISC hope to consult on a new offer
in early August. 

 - Athens authentication and NESLI journals

Elsevier Science became Athens compliant in early June.  
Together with Emerald and Oxford University Press, this 
means that around 25% of NESLI journal titles are truly 
Athens authenticated.  For publishers which accept the 
SwetsnetNavigator or MIMAS proxy servers for access to
NESLI journals, approximately 80% of titles are Athens 
authenticated.

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4. BIOSIS Dataset Service at EDINA

The service provision charge from EDINA for the BIOSIS 
Dataset Service will remain at stlg 2,000 (+VAT) for the 
year 1st August 2002 to 31st July 2003 for the current file 
plus the back-file for those institutions subscribing to 
the latter (there is an additional charge for the data for 
the back file).  Any increase in service charges for the 
remaining years of the Agreement will be limited to no more
than 5% per annum.

EDINA moves from being a JISC Nominated Agent to a BIOSIS 
Preferred Service Provider for HE and FE.  BIOSIS via EDINA
will continue to be a JISC-approved service monitored by 
the MAU.  Institutions wishing to stay with or change to 
EDINA as service provider are advised that the invoice for 
the data fee will be issued by EduServ (CHEST) as 
previously, but the invoice for service provision will now 
be issued directly by EDINA.  Please advise EduServ and 
EDINA of your purchase order number so that invoices may be
issued in a timely manner.

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5. Project COUNTER: Counting Online Usage of NeTworked 
Electronic Resources

JISC is one of the sponsors of Project COUNTER, an 
international initiative to produce an internationally 
agreed Code of Practice to define user requirements for 
usage statistics from vendors. COUNTER has built upon a 
number of existing initiatives and has evolved in 
particular from the PALS Usage Statistics Working Group. 
Further information can be found at: 

http://www.projectcounter.org/

***************************************************************
Dr Philip Pothen
JISC/RDN Communications Manager,
JISC Office,
King's College London,
Strand Bridge House,
3rd Floor,
138-142 The Strand,
London WC2R 1HH

Tel:    020 7848 2935
Mobile: 07887 564 006
Fax:    020 7848 2939
[log in to unmask]