You'll take what I give you and like it.
The following e'mail from Michigan's State Librarian, as sent to the MichLib-L listserv, serves as a good indicator of how libraries can expect to be treated by database publishers. Bear it in mind when considering the likely effects of HR 3261, discussed below, or the wisdom of making library services entirely dependent on such services. Ancestry.com obviously feels no obligation whatsoever to honor its contract in this case.
This message is from State Librarian Christie Brandau.
ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING REMOTE ACCESS TO ANCESTRYPLUS
Ancestry.com, owner of the genealogical database AncestryPlus, has
terminated access to the database remotely (from your home or anywhere
outside a library building) through the Michigan eLibrary (MeL)
beginning Sunday evening, October 19. This announcement from
Ancestry.com came abruptly and without warning to the Library of
Michigan. When contacted, the company cited an increase in usage and
customer abuse as reasons for discontinuing the contracted provision.
The announcement from Ancestry.com is surprising and extremely
disappointing. However, AncestryPlus will still be available for
patrons to use free via MeL in local libraries.
Feel free to contact the company at Ancestry.com, 801-705-7000.
Ancestry.com is a part of Myfamily.com, Inc., 360 W. 4800 N, Provo, Utah
84604. They may also be reached at
http://ancestry.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/ancestry.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Trebor @ 8:59AM | 2003-10-18| permalink
Silly me, but this makes perfect sense. If I spend a lot of time and money putting a database together, why would I want a library to give it away free to anyone, anywhere around the world via remote access?
Database providers might change their tune if libraries could guarantee that they were limiting usage only to the area immediately served by the library. However, the impression I get is that you expect to put the material online for public access. You know how the Internet works. This means pretty much *anyone* (though out of six billion people, *anyone* is still a minority).
I like the way our library manages our access to the OED. If we access the site through the university's network, we're in. If we try to access from home, we're not in. No password needed. I also suspect that if I really *must* work from home with the OED, I could arrange it. Even if that isn't the case, it's still a pretty good deal since I actually do go to work some days.
~Trebor
email | website
Felix @ 6:16PM | 2003-10-18| permalink
The Michigan State Library's remote access to Ancestry.com is set up to require a Michigan drivers' licence number or some comparable state ID as a login name. It's not just open to anyone and everyone. As I understand it, the Michigan State Library is using taxpayer money to, in essense, purchase a state-wide "site licence".
It sounds like your university is using IP address recognition, which may be the way that the hardwired library connections in the Mich. E. Lib. continue to work.
My issue is not with Ancestry's right to refuse to make remote-access arrangements, but with their unilateral refusal to follow them, once made. I don't know whether the state is going to pursue this legally, and to be honest I don't know the exact verbiage of the contract, though.
I consider the episode to be a demonstration of the fact that a library which depends on a database becomes dependent on the whims and business decisions of the database publisher.
email | website
Post a Comment