SERU: An Alternative to Licensing—An Interview with Selden Durgom Lamoureux

The Shared E-Resources Understanding (SERU) initiative (www.niso.org/committees/seru) became an official working group of the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) at the end of 2006. This initiative seeks to create best practices for licensing as an alternative to traditional licensing and has created a draft document to support this purpose. Selden Durgom Lamoureux has been integrally involved in shaping this alternative to licensing. Within the context of this interview, she discusses the early development and timeline of this initiative, the initial purpose and objectives, partners who have assisted in furthering the initiative’s development, NISO’s involvement and the outcomes of the group. A “Best Practice Option” document discussing the issues behind this initiative and written by Judy Luther, one of the co-chairs of SERU, is included as an appendix.