Librarian, Publisher, and Vendor Perspectives on Consortial E-Book Purchasing: The Experience of the TRLN Beyond Print Summit

Serials librarians have confronted electronic licensing issues for well over a decade and have developed viable models for acquisitions and resource sharing as libraries transitioned from print to electronic journals. While the case of electronic journals (e-journals) provides valuable lessons and insights, electronic books (e-books) present new, unique challenges for consortial sharing, which demand tailored solutions. With the support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Triangle Research Libraries Network (TRLN) convened a two-day summit that brought together librarians, publishers, and e-book vendors to discuss the future of consortial e-book acquisitions and sharing.

► We discuss the impact of e-books on cooperative collection development. ► We analyze overlap data from our print and electronic collections. ► We report on the TRLN: Beyond Print Summit. ► We describe potential models for consortial e-book acquisitions and sharing.