Libraries have been subscribing to electronic journals through subscription agents and subsequently accessing these journals either directly via the Internet or through online reference services such as OCLC's FirstSearch. OCLC has now announced that libraries can subscribe to the electronic version of journals available through its Electronic Collections Online directly with OCLC and its affiliates at the same time they open or renew their Access Accounts.
OCLC and its affiliates will quote pricing and provide license terms for electronic journals, process subscription orders, and provide libraries with consolidated billing for subscriptions, access, and archiving.
The announced reason for the new service is to offer libraries one-stop shopping.
[Contact: OCLC, Inc., 6565 Frantz Road, Dublin, OH 43017, telephone 614-764-6000, fax 614-764-6096, URL: www.oclc.org].
