STM publisher Springer and the Scottish Higher Education Digital Library Consortium (SHEDL) recently signed an agreement for access to electronic journal subscriptions and eBooks on Springer’s platform SpringerLink.
Every SHEDL member will now have access to an enormous database of content consisting of nearly 2,000 journals and over 40,000 eBooks. The license will run for a period of three years starting in 2012, and unlimited DRM free access will be given to all higher education institutions across Scotland.
According to Jill Evans, Service Development Manager, Scottish Confederation of University and Research Libraries (SCURL), opening access to Springer eBooks and eJournals is a significant step to support the learning, teaching and research agenda. The availability of Springer’s content through SHEDL ensures equitable access for SCURL users and contributes to creating the infrastructure for a digital library for Scotland.
SHEDL aims to achieve a shared digital library in Scotland with easier access to online content in order to support research, learning and teaching through collaboration and combined purchasing power. Led by the SCURL, SHEDL is the first super-consortial purchasing scheme of its kind in the UK. The SHEDL members are the Scottish Higher Education Institutions and the National Library of Scotland.
