Licensing and negotiation

For many new librarians, the first time they start building on their negotiation skills is when they engage in their very first licensing experience with a vendor. As negotiation and licensing isn't a topic that is covered in many library & information science programs, someone who is new to the process could be left scrambling to learn about licensing vocabulary and the rights they should negotiate for their users. If you'd like to improve your licensing knowledge, here are a few helpful resources to point you in the right way:

• LIBLICENSE: http://www.liblicense.info/index.shtml
• Model License: http://www.liblicense.info/modlic.shtml
• License vocabulary: http://www.liblicense.info/definiti.shtml
• Licensing terms and descriptions: http://www.liblicense.info/table.shtm
• COUNTER: http://www.projectcounter.org/

You may also want to pick up and read a copy of Leslie Ellen Harris' book entitled, "Licensing Digital Content: A Practical Guide for Librarians." I have also created a list of questions one should ask when trying to employ a strategic licensing strategy.