Options for the E-reference Collection.
Polanka, Sue (author).
FEATURE.
First published November 1, 2007 (Booklist).
Last year, we looked at 5 options for the e-reference collection for the academic and large public library market: ABC-CLIO’s History Reference Online, Gale Virtual Reference Library, Greenwood Digital Collection, Oxford Reference Online, and Xrefer’s Xreferplus. Much has changed in one year. Xrefer has now become Credo Reference and has added more than 200 historic videos and flash animations, 1,700 audio files, a link resolver for bibliographic entries, and a new interface (to debut in less than 6 months). Greenwood added 500 new titles in 2007, all imprints from 2005 to 2007. Gale added 16 new publishers and released an updated interface with an enhanced sidebar; a search within results option; a toolbox for quick print, e-mail, and download options; and a persistent Search within This Publication feature. Oxford added more illustrated content, sidebar features on article front pages, e-mail and print options, and cross-product linking between Oxford Reference Online and 4 other Oxford databases.
In addition to adding new titles, ABC-CLIO introduced 2 additional lower-priced subscription plans, Premier and Elite, and now offers libraries the opportunity to purchase to own ABC-CLIO titles for hosting on 1 of 5 different e-book platforms: ABC-CLIO, EBL, Ebrary, netLibrary, and myiLibrary. Finally, a newcomer—Sage eReference—is on board.
This year we’ll take a detailed look at the new Sage eReference and provide an updated comparison chart for the 6 e-reference collections. Once again, similarities between the e-book products abound and include 24/7 unlimited simultaneous users; keyword searching across 1 title or the entire collection: browsing by title, author, or subject; persistent links at the book and entry level; and downloadable MARC records. All are indexed in Paratext’s Reference Universe, a unique database that searches the content of both print and electronic reference materials. Pricing information is based on a 4-year college or university with 5,000 FTE and was current as of August 2007.
Electronic reference titles can be a blessing, but choosing titles, vendors, and interfaces and getting them all to work together can be frustrating. What can librarians do to plan and prepare for the surge of electronic books? Several things: focus on content, select an interface, and negotiate prices. First, libraries should investigate the titles and collections available from all vendors and choose content that fits the needs of the library, not the needs of the publisher’s package. Pick and choose titles that will get used, and don’t purchase titles twice—with so many publishers and products, it can be easy to duplicate. If we start doing this, publishers may begin to treat e-books the way they treat journals, creating expensive catchall subscription products that duplicate half of their competitor’s content, which we already own and pay for. Let’s stop this cycle before it begins.
Second, make access a priority. The best way to drive business to e-reference is through the online catalog. Make sure all MARC records are in the catalog with persistent links to the e-books. Strive to use as few interfaces as possible. Our comparison chart lists 6 vendors, each with a unique interface and special features; how can we make things simpler? Purchase titles to own, and get the licensing agreement to provide a copy of the e-book in either the HTML, XML, or PDF version. With this data, libraries can mount all e-book content on 1 platform, like Ebrary, or an open-source product, like XTF. Or purchase from vendors that support multiple publishers in one platform—Gale Virtual Reference Library is a good example. Another good option for access is through Paratext’s Reference Universe, which indexes the table of contents, entries, and thousands of print and electronic titles. It’s a deeper search than the catalog, uses one interface, and has persistent links to the article level of e-books and to the catalog record of print titles. When shopping around, talk to publishers about access, and remind them that fewer interfaces make for simple searching by users and librarians.
Finally, negotiate the right price. Vendors offer product subscriptions, single-title ownership, subject-set ownership, and a multitude of packages and prices. Bottom line: e-books are expensive, so budgeting and planning properly is a must. A few ways to save money include buying multiple titles, purchasing through a consortium, negotiating discounts with vendors, and purchasing book titles only one time and in one format (e or print).
One year later, this reviewer is even higher on e-reference. The titles are here to stay, so get a plan in place, massage the reference budget, and start buying! The usage results will stun and amaze you.
Sue Polanka is Head of Reference and Instruction at Wright State University Library in Dayton, Ohio, and the Chair of the RBB Editorial Board.
Comparing E-reference Options
ABC-CLIO’s History Reference Online
Titles Available
Complete Package: 533
Premier Package: 404
Elite Package: 255
Publishers Included
ABC-CLIO
Content
U.S. and world history, current issues, geography, politics
Updated/New Titles Added per Year
Quarterly, 50-70 titles added each year
Subscribe or Own?
Subscribe or own with 5 years’ free hosting and a small fee for extension of hosting
Cost (Four-Year College/University with 5,000 FTE)
Complete:
>5,000 FTE: $8,476
5,000+ FTE: $9,756
Premier:
>5,000 FTE: $6,396
5,000+ FTE: $7,356
Elite:
>5,000 FTE: $3,436
5,000+ FTE: $3,916
Price to Own:
>5,000 FTE: 125% of print cost
5,000+ FTE: 144%
Customization
None
Citation Styles
Chicago, MLA, APA, Harvard
Unique Features
By the end of 2007
Credo Reference
Titles Available
Credo Reference 100
100 titles selected by library
Credo Reference Unlimited
270+
Publishers Included
57+ partners
Content
Diverse; subject-specific dictionaries, biographies, quotations, statistics, atlases
Updated/New Titles Added per Year
Continually, 50–100
Subscribe or Own?
Subscription
Cost (Four-Year College/University with 5,000 FTE)
Credo Reference 100: $2,600
Credo Reference Unlimited: $3,900
Add on specialist reference titles to either collection starting at $75
Customization
Yes, library logos and links, link resolvers, statistics, manage title selections, promotional materials
Citation Styles
MLA, APA, Chicago
Unique Features
Yes
Gale Virtual Reference Library
Titles Available
1,700+
Publishers Included
41 partners
Content
Diverse, focus on multivolume encyclopedias
Updated/New Titles Added per Year
As needed, 1,000 each year
Subscribe or Own?
Own, purchase title by title
Cost (Four-Year College/University with 5,000 FTE)
Priced by title: print cost + 10%
Annual hosting fees of $50–$300 depending on number of titles owned.
Discounts available
Customization
Library links, logos, subcollections, usage reports, custom interface by institution
Citation Styles
MLA, APA, plain text, export feature for 4 citation management programs
Unique Features
Yes
Greenwood Digital Collection
Titles Available
4,250+
Publishers Included
Greenwood, Praeger, Libraries Unlimited
Content
Diverse; encyclopedias, biographies, dictionaries, and primary documents
Updated/New Titles Added per Year
Monthly, 400–500 each year
Subscribe or Own?
Own, purchase title by title, or lease collection
Cost (Four-Year College/University with 5,000 FTE)
Priced by title: print cost + 10%
$200 annual access fee
Discounts start at 10 titles and escalate
Customization
None at institution level
Users may change font family and size, and view/hide TOC
Citation Styles
MLA
Unique Features
Yes
Oxford Reference Online
Titles Available
Premium: 185+
Digital Reference Shelf Collection: 24
Publishers Included
Oxford
Content
Diverse; general reference, language and bilingual dictionaries, subject dictionaries, companions, quotations
Updated/New Titles Added per Year
3 times per year, 45 titles each year
Subscribe or Own?
Subscription
Ownership for Digital Reference Shelf Collection
Cost (Four-Year College/University with 5,000 FTE)
Premium Collection: $3,095 annually
Digital Reference Shelf priced per title: 150% of print
Customization
OpenURL resolver logo only
Subscriber branding: footer allows libraries to add logo
Citation Styles
Modified MLA
Unique Features
Implementing soon
Sage eReference
Titles Available
62+
Publishers Included
Sage
Content
Multivolume social science encyclopedias
Updated/New Titles Added per Year
Own, purchase title by title
Subscribe or Own?
Own, purchase title by title
Cost (Four-Year College/University with 5,000 FTE)
<5,000 FTE: 120% of print cost
5,000+ FTE: 160% of print cost
Package pricing available for the complete catalog and front-list catalog at significant discounts
Customization
None
Citation Styles
MLA, APA, Chicago
Unique Features
Yes
*Numbers and prices are current as of September 2007.