How did libraries respond when Swets collapsed so dramatically towards the end of 2014? What were the factors they took into consideration when making decisions about managing their journal portfolio? Looking ahead, how will libraries and consortia manage and administer their collections in the future and what role will agents be expected to play, if any? If you are interested in a glimpse into the future or have thoughts of your own, come and share them with us. As they say in the song: “Through the storm we reach the shore. You give it all but I want more.”

1. A UK View on
With Or Without You:
subscription agents
and the scholarly journal supply chain

2. 2
“I want to run, I want to hide”
● The Open University - open to people, places, methods and ideas
● A UK view – to initiate discussion
Where the streets have no name; The Joshua Tree; U2 (Music), Bono (Lyrics); Island Records; 1987

3. “Chains no longer bind me, Not the shackles at my feet”
Silver and Gold; Rattle and Hum; U2 (Music) Bono (Lyrics); Island Records; 1988
‘The University of the Air’
About the Open University -
● Founded in 1969 entirely distance-learning
● More than 175,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students = 59,500 FTE
● More than 1000 members of academic and research staff,
● About 5000 associate lecturer tutors
● Over 2500 administrative, operational and support staff.
● Headquarters in Milton Keynes + offices throughout the UK
● About 10,000 students outside UK
● Over 21,000 students registered with a disability.
Open to people, places, methods and ideas -
Since the OU’s launch in 1969, 1.89 million people worldwide have achieved their learning goals by
studying with us.
● People of all ages and backgrounds study with us, for all sorts of reasons
● 76% of OU students work full or part-time during their studies
● 21% of OU UK undergraduates live in the 25% most deprived areas
● 30% of new OU undergraduates are under 25
Research underpins curriculum with focus on 4 strategic areas -
● Space, Education, Citizenship and Governance, International Development
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4. “A link is lost, The chain undone”
Our reaction to the end of Swets
● People –
● length of relationships
● daily interaction
● outsourced support
● Trust –
● customer base
● detailed knowledge of our account
● responsiveness
● Value –
● increasing with ‘mainstreaming’ of e-only
● immediately questioned by Director
● Risk –
● level of financial commitment
● lack of competition in the market
● financial practice
● wake up call? Library naivety? framework agreements and university Procurement departments
Red Hill Mining Town; The Joshua Tree; U2 (Music) Bono (Lyrics); Island Records; 1987
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5. “You say you want diamonds on a ring of gold”
Change – Game Changers
● Open publishing / Open Access –
● micro payments,
● academics and publishers’ direct relationships
● University landscape –
● changes to research funding
● polarisation of research and teaching, changes in FE sector
● value structures, quality assessment and measures TEF, Ref 2020+,
● open learning – MOOCs, partnerships
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All I want is you; Rattle and Hum; U2; Island Records; 1988
https://www.facebook.com/charlie.rose.944/photos?source_ref=pb_friends_tl

6. “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for”
I still haven’t found what I’m looking for; The Joshua Tree; U2 (Music) Bono (Lyrics); Island Records; 1987
Immediate, ongoing issues for Libraries
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• Payment models
• Publishing formats –
• Changes to deals
• Nationalisation
• Data
• Online vs print
• Value assessments

7. “Sometimes you can’t make it on your own”
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own; How to dismantle an atomic bomb; U2 (Music) Bono (Lyrics); Island / Interscope Records; 2004
Emerging roles and requirements
● Advocacy, negotiation, advice
● Expertise, interpretation, representation
● Choice
● Simplification - systems, workflows, data
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8. Thank you
Head of Content & Licensing
The Open University
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Claire.Grace@open.ac.uk
“Grace finds beauty in everything”
Grace; All That You Can't Leave Behind; U2 (Music) Bono (Lyrics); Island Records (2000)