Reengineering the Library

In terms of both overall spending and usage, library collections are now primarily electronic. The previously solitary electronic resources librarian has now been joined by other personnel in reorganized technical services departments and units who increasingly share more complex and diverse types of work related to managing electronic resources. In this book, the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) gathers a variety of perspectives to examine recent developments in electronic resources management (ERM) and how this work fits into the overall mission of the contemporary academic library. Thoroughly grounded in experience and everyday best practices while also considering how ERM can best fulfill the mission of today's academic libraries, this book's contributors discuss issues such as interdepartmental workflows such as instruction, metadata, and user support that impact electronic resources management; strategies for controlling costs; license arrangements to allow text and data mining; managing the transition from dedicated ERM systems to integration into library service platforms; new analytics and assessment techniques; and operational improvements for better usability, troubleshooting, and customer support Inside this collection, readers will discover a thoughtful consideration of problems and opportunities in electronic resources management that combines the power of new ideas with practical experience.