Michael Rodriguez
Senior Strategist, Content and Scholarly Communication Initiatives
Lyrasis
Teri Oaks Gallaway
Executive Director
Statewide California Electronic Library Consortium (SCELC)
Mergers, acquisitions, and closures of academic institutions are on the rise. These changes raise complex and critical questions for libraries and licensed electronic resources. For example, what happens to perpetual rights for previously acquired eresources in the event of a merger? What issues should be addressed in license agreements and with vendors? This briefing unpacks some of the practical and theoretical issues relating to library eResources, especially perpetual rights, when parent institutions close or merge. The speakers draw on data and case studies from their consortium experiences as well as from a recent SCELC-conducted survey of library, consortium, and vendor representatives on fair practices in the reallocation or reassignment of eResources. The briefing also shares advice for colleagues who are planning ahead for potential mergers or closures. By foregrounding these issues, we aim to elevate the profile of these issues in our industry and springboard community-wide conversations about industry best practices.
