Let’s be honest, what we all
REALLY want to see on this group is Detail magazine online and indexed with Teutonic
thoroughness J Now THAT would be worth paying for!
David
From: Architecture Librarians group
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Hinda Sklar
Sent: 23 May 2011 11:40
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: AJ Journal[Scanned-Clean]
I too have kept out of this topic, but I will agree with David.
I had several talks with Janine about this and in the end I said I’d be willing
to spend maybe £500 but no more. I think the price is outrageous,
the indexing inconsistent and incomplete, and all together it’s mediocre.
I can’t help but think that it’s clear that this is a commercial product
without the necessary expertise.
I’ll be curious to see what they come up with in terms of price;
meanwhile, I’ve said this is not on my budget!
Cheers to all,
Hinda
Hinda F. Sklar
Librarian and Administrative Deputy
The Architectural Association
34-36 Bedford Square
London
WC1B 3ES
England
tel: +44 207 887 4035
fax: +44 207 414 0782
web:
http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/AALIFE/LIBRARY/libraryIntroduction.php
From: Architecture Librarians group
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Buri, David
Sent: 23 May 2011 11:13
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: AJ Journal[Scanned-Clean]
Hello all
I’ve kept out of this discussion until now, but I’ll put in
my tuppence worth. Janine came up to Glasgow in March and gave Jac Lister
(Strathclyde Uni) and myself a demo of the service. We didn’t know whether to
laugh or cry when she told us the price (£5500 pa for on-campus access only,
more for off-campus); it was particularly disappointing because Janine claims
to have been recruited because of her knowledge of the HE sector and how it
works. When I’d gone away and recovered, I had a further look at the database
and was alarmed at the poor quality of the metadata. There seemed to have been
no attempt to, for example, link it to the good journal indexing work done over
many years by the British Architectural Library. As information professionals,
I think it’s our job to point these things out – nobody else will.
I agree with Daphne, we need to make our feelings politely
but firmly clear. The prices being demanded are bonkers. To me, the database is
worth no more than £100 per year absolute max. And there’s a perfectly good,
free alternative in the form of architecture.com - OK, you have to go to the
library shelves to find the articles, but it covers hundreds of journals.
Sorry if I’m causing offence here, but this is one ride I’m
not going to be taken on…
David
David Buri
Academic Liaison Librarian
Glasgow School of Art
167 Renfrew Street
Glasgow G3 6RQ
Scotland
0141 353 4701
Email: [log in to unmask]
The
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