Global library cooperative Online Computer Library Center, Inc. (OCLC), US, and electronic research databases provider EBSCO Publishing, US, have signed an agreement. Under the deal, EBSCO will purchase the assets of the OCLC NetLibrary Division and the rights to license a select number of vendor-owned databases currently available through the OCLC FirstSearch service. The purchase includes the NetLibrary eBook and eAudiobook platform as well as operations and infrastructure in Boulder, Colorado.
NetLibrary eBook content and eAudiobook subscriptions will continue to be available on the NetLibrary platform. EBSCO plans to provide access to the NetLibrary e-books content on EBSCOhost, an e-content platform, in a bid to create a comprehensive integrated e-books and database service. NetLibrary e-books will also continue to be accessible through WorldCat.org.
OCLC purchased the assets of NetLibrary in 2002 from bankruptcy in a bid to protect libraries’ investments in e-book content purchases, and to explore the potential of e-books for libraries during the early days of the web. OCLC members and publisher partners pioneered new e-book platforms, new purchase and licensing models and built a global shared e-book service for tens of thousands of libraries worldwide. OCLC has partnered with EBSCO to ensure wider access to the e-book resources of libraries.
All NetLibrary e-books purchased by libraries will be placed in a dark archive—the OCLC eBook Archive—at least through March 2013. The latest agreement with EBSCO is projected to ensure that all NetLibrary e-books purchased by libraries continue to be secure.
EBSCO will provide OCLC MARC records for applicable e-books to libraries free of charge and will ensure continued visibility of these collections in WorldCat.org. EBSCO also plans to maintain the e-books content purchase model and additionally explore e-books subscription options. Thousands of libraries also subscribe to Recorded Books eAudiobooks on the NetLibrary platform. This service will continue as EBSCO and Recorded Books will partner to provide access and new eAudiobook content on the NetLibrary platform.
EBSCO has also purchased the rights to license certain vendor-owned databases that are currently available via FirstSearch. Existing FirstSearch subscribers will continue to receive access to these databases on the FirstSearch service through the end of their current subscriptions. EBSCOhost access to these databases will be activated to run in parallel with FirstSearch access for the remainder of the current subscription.
OCLC will continue to deliver library content via the FirstSearch platform. The WorldCat database, the WorldCat base package of databases and databases of primarily library owned content will continue to be offered through both FirstSearch and WorldCat.org.
Moving forward, OCLC plans to concentrate new development resources on enhancing and expanding WorldCat services and developing new services to streamline and lower costs of library management workflows.
Search for more ebooks platform
