[Eril-l] Responses on Newsbank

[Remy, Charlie]

Hi All,

Thanks to everyone who shared your Newsbank experiences with me a few weeks ago.

Here’s a summary of the responses I received:

  *   6 libraries are getting digital microfilm starting in January
  *   1 library is not continuing with digital microfilm
  *   Concern about whether Newsbank’s perpetual access claims can be trusted
  *   Concern about Newsbank’s monopoly
  *   Some libraries are getting a combined package for the large database + digital microfilm so if they cut the database their digital microfilm cost would greatly increase
  *   Difficult to work with as a vendor
  *   Archival newspaper products from Newsbank can be incredibly expensive and also require indefinite subscription to large database package. If library cancelled the database subscription, they’d lose access to the archive.
  *   Physical microfilm deterioration (vinegar syndrome)
  *   Some libraries have no current online access to their local paper because they cannot afford the cost of the large databases
  *   Newsbank prohibits text mining of their products
  *   Their large newspaper databases contain different titles for different customers. Perhaps there’s no “standard” packages for academic libraries?
  *   Other companies still produce microfilm so perhaps Newsbank simply isn’t interested in continuing to sell this product?
  *   Their microfilm costs have been 4-5 times the costs from other companies
  *   Digital microfilm doesn’t have an index so other libraries cannot request articles via interlibrary loan
  *   Newsbank’s agreements with newspaper publishers can vary

My library has decided not to move to their new digital microfilm product in 2019 due to some serious interface and metadata problems (article titles don’t display in search results, PDF page downloads are not screen readable, no metadata in our Primo discovery system).

Charlie Remy



Charlie Remy
Associate Professor
Electronic Resources and Serials Librarian
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Library
UTC-Dept 6456
600 Douglas St.
Chattanooga, TN 37403
charlie-remy at utc.edu<mailto:charlie-remy at utc.edu>
Tel. 423-425-4470<tel:423-425-4470>


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