Comments on: Renting Keys to Walled Gardens http://acrlog.org/2008/12/14/renting-keys-to-walled-gardens/ Blogging by and for academic and research librarians Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:32:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Adventures in Wonderland http://acrlog.org/2008/12/14/renting-keys-to-walled-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-115720 Adventures in Wonderland Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:44:26 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=1234#comment-115720 [...] 3. Is this new OCLC report worth it? 4. Takes more than blogs 4. Some thoughts on privacy 6. Renting keys to walled gardens 16. Real faculty in our minds alone 20. Digital scholarship reconsidered 22. Three new things 22. [...] [...] 3. Is this new OCLC report worth it? 4. Takes more than blogs 4. Some thoughts on privacy 6. Renting keys to walled gardens 16. Real faculty in our minds alone 20. Digital scholarship reconsidered 22. Three new things 22. [...]

]]> By: StevenB http://acrlog.org/2008/12/14/renting-keys-to-walled-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-110003 StevenB Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:00:39 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=1234#comment-110003 This article published in today's (12/17/08) New York Times provides some commentary on the walled garden from the perspective of a researcher on the outside (but you need to read the "NOTE" at the end of the article: http://judson.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/16/defeating-bedlam/?th&emc=th This article published in today’s (12/17/08) New York Times provides some commentary on the walled garden from the perspective of a researcher on the outside (but you need to read the “NOTE” at the end of the article:
http://judson.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/16/defeating-bedlam/?th&emc=th

]]> By: Bill Drew http://acrlog.org/2008/12/14/renting-keys-to-walled-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-109894 Bill Drew Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:40:36 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=1234#comment-109894 We are actually spending money on resources that people use instead of sitting on a shelf gathering dust. We have started to do purchase on demand for books requested via ILLiad for titles not widely available in the SUNY system. It is working very well. We are actually spending money on resources that people use instead of sitting on a shelf gathering dust. We have started to do purchase on demand for books requested via ILLiad for titles not widely available in the SUNY system. It is working very well.

]]> By: Ben Toth http://acrlog.org/2008/12/14/renting-keys-to-walled-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-109860 Ben Toth Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:34:13 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=1234#comment-109860 No more walled garden - I fully agree! No more walled garden – I fully agree!

]]> By: bowerbird http://acrlog.org/2008/12/14/renting-keys-to-walled-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-109840 bowerbird Tue, 16 Dec 2008 07:06:23 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=1234#comment-109840 bill drew said: > what choice do we have > in a time of diminished resources? > We can no longer be all things to all peoples. that is precisely what the general public will say when you go to them for funds to support your "academic" libraries that no longer serve needs of the public at large. -bowerbird bill drew said:
> what choice do we have
> in a time of diminished resources?
> We can no longer be all things to all peoples.

that is precisely what the general public
will say when you go to them for funds
to support your “academic” libraries that
no longer serve needs of the public at large.

-bowerbird

]]> By: Barbara http://acrlog.org/2008/12/14/renting-keys-to-walled-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-109818 Barbara Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:51:22 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=1234#comment-109818 Err.... but we're spending a ton of money on temporary access to collections that mostly have nothing to do with the users we serve. And they can change at any time. One of our collections of journals just pulled the plug on the smallish collection we were getting and said we'd have to subscribe to a bigger collection. If we couldn't afford it, we'd lose it all. Trying to serve our immediate needs, we end up spending a lot of money and are left with nothing tangible or lasting. Bah humbug. Err…. but we’re spending a ton of money on temporary access to collections that mostly have nothing to do with the users we serve. And they can change at any time. One of our collections of journals just pulled the plug on the smallish collection we were getting and said we’d have to subscribe to a bigger collection. If we couldn’t afford it, we’d lose it all. Trying to serve our immediate needs, we end up spending a lot of money and are left with nothing tangible or lasting. Bah humbug.

]]> By: Bill Drew http://acrlog.org/2008/12/14/renting-keys-to-walled-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-109798 Bill Drew Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:46:22 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=1234#comment-109798 I agree but what choice do we have in a time of diminished resources? We can no longer be all things to all peoples. I agree but what choice do we have in a time of diminished resources? We can no longer be all things to all peoples.

]]> By: Barbara Fister http://acrlog.org/2008/12/14/renting-keys-to-walled-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-109790 Barbara Fister Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:42:12 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=1234#comment-109790 I realize that, but ... in the past we built collections that were not just for students paying tuition this year. We built collections that were cultural resources for more than dues-paying members. I'm at a private college, but even we share our resources with local patrons and through interlibrary loan. A state-funded institution owes something to the taxpayer, not just to those who pay tuition. I think our priorities have narrowed and our horizons lowered - and it's a shame. I realize that, but … in the past we built collections that were not just for students paying tuition this year. We built collections that were cultural resources for more than dues-paying members. I’m at a private college, but even we share our resources with local patrons and through interlibrary loan. A state-funded institution owes something to the taxpayer, not just to those who pay tuition. I think our priorities have narrowed and our horizons lowered – and it’s a shame.

]]> By: Bill Drew http://acrlog.org/2008/12/14/renting-keys-to-walled-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-109788 Bill Drew Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:42:59 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=1234#comment-109788 Here is another set of questions to ask concerning academic libraries: Do we purchase content for our students who pay tuition or do we purchase content to make it available to all? Academic libraries are not public libraries. Academic libraries have limited resources and limited funds. Our primary obligation is to our own academic communities. Public academic institutions also have a secondary mission to serve the public but again it is not our primary mission. Here is another set of questions to ask concerning academic libraries:

Do we purchase content for our students who pay tuition or do we purchase content to make it available to all? Academic libraries are not public libraries. Academic libraries have limited resources and limited funds. Our primary obligation is to our own academic communities. Public academic institutions also have a secondary mission to serve the public but again it is not our primary mission.

]]> By: Barbara http://acrlog.org/2008/12/14/renting-keys-to-walled-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-109778 Barbara Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:50:17 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=1234#comment-109778 Just thought of another example of how libraries are brokering limited use: going to pay per use access to collections like Science Direct. It makes short-term economic sense to pay for just the articles a scholar wants, but nobody else gets to use them. This is a weird corporatization of the idea of libraries. They publish, we pay. Every single time. And the institution has no tangible assets for the money spent. Just thought of another example of how libraries are brokering limited use: going to pay per use access to collections like Science Direct. It makes short-term economic sense to pay for just the articles a scholar wants, but nobody else gets to use them. This is a weird corporatization of the idea of libraries. They publish, we pay. Every single time. And the institution has no tangible assets for the money spent.

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