This primer offers a thorough introduction to electronic resource management for librarians with little or no knowledge of these specialized materials.

This primer offers a thorough introduction to electronic resource management for librarians with little or no knowledge of these specialized materials. Libraries today face rising costs, contract issues, changing formats, and technical complexities when it comes to electronic resources. This instructional guidebook will prepare you for managing every aspect of your virtual "stacks." From evaluating resources, to negotiating and licensing, to staff training and mastering authentication software, you'll learn everything you'll need to know to fund, procure, and organize your digital collection. The work offers step-by-step guidance for overseeing collection development of electronic resources with a special focus on activities revolving around the life cycle of the materials, such as identifying and evaluating appropriate resources; managing the knowledge base, link resolver, discovery layer, and administrative accounts for each resource; and gathering and analyzing usage statistics and other assessment data. Content includes a chapter on communicating with authors, funding sources, publishers, and libraries regarding digital rights and access to texts. The book concludes with a look at the future directions of electronic resource management.

"Essential for library school students and beginning librarians who need to understand the basics of electronic resource management." - Library Journal

"Identification, selection, acquisition, providing access, and assessing the resources will be the sections librarians new to electronic resources will need the most. . . . [T]hose new to electronic resources or who wish to delve more into this specific field of librarianship will appreciate the layout and information found in this guide." - VOYA

"Clear section and chapter headings make Guide to Electronic Resource Management the preferred text for library and information science educators looking for class assignment and content delivery. . . . My choice if I were looking for a current ER resources management book as a textbook for ER librarianship in an instructional setting." - Technicalities