Hello

I'm interested to see that others actively add free content to their catalogues. We have done so for some years now, and a list of free electronic resources was available through our web site before we were able to make any subscription-based content available online. That original list is still maintained and used, and relevant records are added to our opac and our A-Z list, as alternative points of entry. Our opac records are relatively basic, and include the same info as for a print record along with a url. We don't use a link resolver. I discover content mainly through resources such as DOAJ and Intute. Like others, we don't have a formal strategy or policy for adding this content, but I do find that quality free resources are a useful addition to our collection, and that members are often unaware of their existence prior to discovering thrm through the Library.

Lisa

Lisa Stockley
Senior Librarian
Institution of Engineering and Technology



________________________________________
From: An informal open list set up by UKSG - Connecting the Information Community [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mike Poulin [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 10 November 2009 13:42
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [LIS-E-RESOURCES] Free e-content - what do you do?

Hi folks,

We select collections of free content via SerialsSolutions Client Center.
They also have an informal list of the free collections which they compile
from users indicating which collections are free.  (no guarantees made)

They currently show about 114 collections which are tracked as free.  I pick
and choose those which I think would add value to our users and avoid those
which might have confusing restrictions or partial content.

I also add a note to display in the links to content.  "ALERT! Free access
to some/all content in this journal may change without warning."

SS checks the holdings periodically adds/ removes titles to the collections
and will update specific content based on user reports.  It works pretty
well for the most part and adds lots of content I would not have the time to
maintain manually.

SS users show note that adding these titles will increase the total number
of titles managed which is how their pricing is based - but we are over the
largest tier by some measure so adding more does not financially hurt.

Mike

---------------------------------------
Mike Poulin
Digital Resources Librarian & Coordinator of Digital Initiatives
Colgate University Libraries
13 Oak Drive
Hamilton, NY 13346
315-228-7025
fax: 315-228-7934
[log in to unmask]




On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 8:19 AM, Packard, Sarah
<[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> Sound like we do the same as University of Plymouth:
> free resources are available via SFX and those from more reliable
> publishers
> (e.g. DOAJ,PUBMED) are uploaded monthly to our OPAC using MarcIt. However
> this is rather arbitrary, as resources made accessible in SFX via "Misc
> free
> e-journals" etc. are not uploaded due to the inconsistency of the record
> and
> access.
>
> We also provide access to free websites via Metalib if appropriate and
> include them in the relevant categories.
>
> Regards,
> Sarah P
> _________________________
> Sarah Packard
> Digital Resources & Repository Coordinator
> University Library, Chelmsford
> Anglia Ruskin University
> Queens Building
> Bishop Hall Lane
> Chelmsford
> Essex
> CM1 1SQ
>
> 0845 196 3729
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Usual work hours: Mon-Thurs 08.30 - 16.30
>
> http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: An informal open list set up by UKSG - Connecting the Information
> Community [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Nicette
> Ammar
> Sent: 10 November 2009 10:22
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [LIS-E-RESOURCES] Free e-content - what do you do?
>
> I agree, this sounds interesting.  We seem to be going the other way in
> that
> we were vetting all inter-library loan requests to see if they were
> available
> for free electronically before sending off the request.  Now, we don't have
> the staff resources to be able to do this, so we are no longer checking for
> free resources.
>
> However, Via SFX and our A-Z list we do provide access to some free
> resources
> including DOAJ.  We then use MarcIt to upload all new & changed records
> from
> SFX onto our OPAC on a monthly basis.
>
> Any papers that go into our institutional repository are not accessed
> through
> our OPAC.
>
> I also am not aware of any policies or strategies for looking at or dealing
> with free e-resources in a consistent way.
>
> Regards
>
> Nicette Ammar
> Content Lifecycle Manager
> Content and Development (308)
> The Library
> Univeristy of Plymouth
> Drake Circus
> Plymouth
> PL4 8AA
>
> Tel: 01752 587142
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> Hi Sarah,
>
> Sounds like a really interesting project on a topic I'd not given a great
> deal of thought to.
>
> We do have access to a number of free resources, namely the contents of
> DOAJ
> and some free JISC Collections resources. DOAJ journals are available
> through
> our link resolver, and we have a link to it on our A to Z list of
> resources.
> We do the same with free JISC Collections resources and Intute. We don't
> have
> any electronic resources listed on our OPAC at all, and we just don't have
> the time or resources to start putting DOAJ content on the OPAC. Plus the
> content is forever changing!
>
> We also provide access to a number of other free websites. These are
> presented in an online reference library, again on the library website.
>
> Of course, for reports/papers produced by the university, we use our
> institutional repository! Again, these items don't go on the OPAC.
>
> As far as I know we don't have a strategy as such as far as I'm aware, but
> I'm always keen to make sure that we do provide access to quality free
> resources - they provide a useful augmentation to our collection and can
> address gaps in our collection that we otherwise may not be able to fill.
>
> Hope this helps!
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Sarah
>
>
>
> Sarah Taylor
> Electronic Resources Librarian
> Library
> University of Bolton
> Deane Road
> Bolton
> BL3 5AB
>
> 01204 903099
> [log in to unmask]
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: An informal open list set up by UKSG - Connecting the Information
> Community [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sarah
> Halliday
> Sent: 10 November 2009 09:29
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [LIS-E-RESOURCES] Free e-content - what do you do?
>
> Hello
>
> At the University of Hertfordshire we're undertaking a project to make
> available as much 'free' e-content as possible to our users. We're really
> interested in finding out what other institutions do and would be very
> grateful if you could reply to any or all of the following questions (and
> add
> any other
> comments):
>
> Do you put records for free e-content (such as reports, free to access
> e-
> books, websites) in your OPAC?  If not, how do you make this content
> available to your users?
>
> What strategy do you use to determine what free content you will make
> available to your users? How do you capture the content?
>
> If you add records for free content to your OPAC, do you only add items
> that
> have Marc records, or do you create records? If you create records, what
>
> tools and methodology do you use?
>
> Do you use a link checker, and if so, which one and how do you rate it?
> Does
> anyone have experience of using an open source link checker?
>
> Are you aware of any UK or international forums where free content capture
> is
> discussed, any JISC or SCONUL initiatives addressing this, and any relevant
> conferences/events featuring this?
>
> I'll happily summarise responses for the list!
> Many thanks,
>
> Sarah Halliday
> Assistant Knowledge Consultant (Information Management) Information
> Hertfordshire, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts.
> AL10 9AB
> email:      [log in to unmask] / phone:   01707 285769
>
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