Library/Publisher Collaboration: Greater Western Library Alliance, Texas Tech, U. of Hawaii, and Springer Partner on eBook ILL Pilot
From GWLA:
The Occam’s Reader Project – comprised of Texas Tech University, the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, and the Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA) – and Springer have entered into an agreement to run a pilot program [a one-year project] with GWLA’s 33 members, focused on eBook interlibrary loans (ILL).
[Our emphasis] This is the first major collaboration of its kind between academic libraries and a major publisher.
The Occam’s Reader Project – comprised of Texas Tech University, the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, and the Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA) – and Springer, are pleased to announce that they have entered into an agreement to run a pilot program with GWLA’s 33 members, focused on eBook interlibrary loans (ILL). This is the first major collaboration of its kind between academic libraries and a major publisher. The year-long project could revolutionize the way libraries share books in a digital world.
At the center of the project lies Occam’s Reader, new software developed by the Design & Development Team at Texas Tech University Libraries and the Web Interface Development Team at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa Libraries, in collaboration with Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA). Occam’s Reader creates a process for requesting, processing and delivering eBooks. ILL has always been possible under the terms of Springer eBook licenses, but previously there was no process for doing so. By integrating with the existing ILLiad framework, Occam’s Reader should make eBook ILL part of libraries’ everyday workflow.
The many features of Occam’s Reader make this a win-win situation for both GWLA members and Springer. Benefits include secure online access to borrowed books, compliance with copyright laws and licensing provisions, reporting of usage statistics and the ability to take advantage of existing Springer features, such as location- and device-agnostic access. Both eBook chapters and full eBooks from Springer are included in the pilot.
Read the Complete Announcement, Includes Comments From Pilot Participants
See Also: Info and Online Demo of Occam’s Reader
Filed under: Academic Libraries, Libraries, News, Publishing

About Gary Price
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.