The focus on research libraries in Stemper and Barribeau’s article, “Perpetual Access to Electronic Journals” raises some questions about what role smaller institutions should have in contributing to providing for perpetual access, and also archival access.[1] It seems the onus is largely on research libraries to secure access for future generations of researchers. I say this first of all because research libraries have historically been concerned with preservation issues for its physical collections – preservation in this case being a method to allow for future access – and also because their budgets may be the only ones which can allow for licensing current titles/products, and paying for maintenance fees for content which is no longer licensed. Smaller libraries, even academic ones, may not need to concern themselves much with perpetual access or archiving electronic journals for which they don’t have print copies because they may be able to “get by” without such content, and they may have no vested interest in long-term preservation for most of its collection (print or otherwise). Research libraries, however, have the reputation, and I would argue the duty, to provide for as much content as they possibly can within the scope of their collection policies. But just because smaller institutions can “get by” without, does this absolve them from contributing to greater perpetual access or archiving movements?
In some ways it still behooves the smaller institution to be involved and contribute financially, at least as part of a consortium, to gain perpetual access to electronic journals. As perpetual access becomes more important to licensees (and I agree with Stemper and Barribeau that perpetual access should be a deal-breaker for content licenses), smaller institutions that are not involved in a greater effort may find that when they do need content which they don’t currently license, they will not be able to get it. With print titles dropping off shelves and publishers getting strict about what can be loaned via ILL, an institution with no ties to a consortium may be out of luck when it comes to providing patrons with the content they need. It seems the issue of perpetual access is not just a concern for large, research libraries. Even small institutions will need to figure out how they can be part of this process and how they can free up monies within their budget in order to contribute.
[1] Stemper, Jim and Susan Barribea, “Perpetual access to electronic journals: A survey of one academic research library's licenses,” Library Resources and Technical Services 50 (2), (2006): 91-109.
