The Future of Electronic Resource Management Systems: Inside and Out

Abstract

The core functional requirements for electronic resource management systems have been identified and implemented in varying depths by commercial and library system developers. As use of these systems increases, novel needs have been revealed. These new needs reside on both sides of the end-user spectrum. Library staff have a need to analyze their electronic collections for comprehensiveness, title overlap, cost-per-use, usage distribution within journal packages and other collection analysis functions. They also have the need to automate administrative tasks like IP registration, incident reporting, activation, renewal, sample license review, and license exchange. Library patrons and public services staff have a need to understand the full range of permissions and restrictions for electronic resource use at the local and consortial levels. They also have the need to be alerted when electronic resources have been upgraded, enhanced or when system outages are planned or are on going. Those needs are manifest at all levels of access: the discovery services platform, online public access catalog, the link resolver, the metasearch environment, A-Z list, and so forth. Since the electronic resource management system already stores permitted and restricted uses, it is the ideal source for that data at all levels of patron access. As electronic resource management systems evolve, the functional requirements should evolve to describe the library’s needs for a system that acts as a collection development and analysis tool and as the source for critical access and license data for patrons wherever they access the library’s electronic resources and to support the requirements of libraries in a consortial arrangement.