Sarah

My own personal views:

I suspect he thinks that subscribing to a journal automatically gives access to back files which, of course, is not normally the case. I'd suggest that if he has repeated need of older issues of this journal he:

a) makes a business case, detailing others in the institution who will also need them, how many times articles will be required in, say, 1 year, what he needs them for (personal research, teaching, interest, etc), whether multiple copies will need to be made, etc. Costs will then need to be calculated to enable reasoned decision-making and then be compared with the costs of obtaining individual articles from the BL - possibly copyright fee paid - or from the publisher directly.

b) purchases his own back files. However, in that case he should not make multiple copies of articles for students, colleagues, etc because of copyright issues.

If he really wants this taken further, I suggest you give him in writing (and send a copy to your manager) the relevant info eg subscription starts 1997 and doesn't include backfiles, that you are willing to obtain items on ILL, that you're rarely asked for articles from before 1997, that the library budget is limited and backfiles cost £xxx so what would he suggest be cut to enable this purchase, etc. Then you say that if he wants to take it further he is welcome to do so but that you can do no more for him at this time. This should take the pressure off you as you've clearly offered normally-acceptable alternatives. If these are not suitable for his particular circumstance, then he's the one who needs to explain why or take it further, not you.

The trouble is that people who are 'desperately unhappy' or annoyed about something don't really take in what is being said to them. By writing it all down clearly, you give him the chance to look at the information objectively (as he should be used to doing if he's an academic) rather than when he's emotional. It also means that you don't have to be on the receiving end of his temper.

Regards

Tricia Rey
Library Services Manager
Queen Victoria Hospital
Holtye Road
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 3DZ
01342 414266
Fax: 01342 414005

-----Original Message-----
From: An informal open list set up by UKSG - Connecting the Information Community [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Taylor, Sarah
Sent: 08 September 2016 09:10
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [lis-e-resources] Helping users to understand journal subscriptions

Hi all,

I have a feeling this may be beyond the remit of this list, but I have a Thursday conundrum.

I am in the midst of a very frustrating dialogue with an academic who is desperately unhappy that he is unable to access an article from the early 1980s from a journal we only have access to from 1997. We've never had a subscription to that particular journal and due the nature of this institution backfile purchase isn't a priority. He wants it taken further; he's outraged we can't access something we had a 'subscription' to etc. etc. Needless to say I've tried to explain how it all works - again - but I've a feeling this argument won't go away.

Following a stint in a darkened room, I am wondering how much of the process of journals subscriptions/licenses/post-cancellation access/backfile issues/authorised user access/print only provision on older articles etc. etc. etc. you divulge to your users. It's something we do on a relatively basic level with heads of schools, but it isn't cascaded to other academics and on some levels I'm not sure that it particularly should.

Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

Best wishes,

Sarah



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