Ex Libris, a ProQuest company, and the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA), the company that simplifies copyright for content users in the UK, are pleased to announce a collaboration in the development of CLA’s Digital Content Store (DCS).
The DCS is an innovative rights, technology and content platform for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) being developed by CLA together with HEIs, publishers and technology partners. The DCS has at its core a searchable repository of PDF extracts created by HEIs and a workflow management tool. When extracts are digitised by HEIs under the CLA Licence, they will be uploaded directly to the DCS. Once an extract is uploaded and assigned to a course, students will be able to access the extract via a secure link to the content held in the DCS.
Ex Libris and CLA have collaborated with key HEI partners to integrate the Ex Libris Alma resource management solution into the DCS which means that those HEIs already using Alma will be able to link their library catalogue seamlessly with the DCS to run an automatic check to see if they own a given book or journal. This check is important as any digitisation done under the CLA licence requires that the HEI owns an original copy of the book or journal.
Once it is fully operational later this year the DCS will provide significant benefits to HEIs by saving them time and effort during the process of checking, digitising and reporting on content to be used in course packs including removing the requirement for annual reporting under the CLA licence.
Tracey Clarke, Associate Director for Academic & Digital Strategies at the University of Sheffield commented: “This integration with Alma represents not only an efficiency gain with regard to our processes but more importantly an improved level of service to our students, with digitised readings being made available faster”.
Bar Veinstein, VP resource management solutions at Ex Libris, remarked: “We are constantly looking to create new and different ways for libraries to streamline operations and increase their ability to serve users. With this integration Alma customers in the UK will be able to use the Digital Content Store seamlessly with their Alma system. This integration is one of several that we have established to enable our customer community to harness the library in support of the academic goals of their parent institution. We are looking forward to continuing our collaboration with the CLA, to achieve even deeper integration with CLA’s Digital Content Store.”
Eela Devani, CLAs Digital Strategy Director added: “We recognise the difference that time-saving technology can make for library managers in Higher Education and so as part of CLA’s mission to simplify copyright we are developing the Digital Content Store. The integration of Ex Libris’ Alma system will help to further streamline processes for our customers.”
This integration project and the development of the DCS for higher education users demonstrates CLAs commitment to providing rights, content and licensing services that meet customers needs through systems that support users existing workflows.
