Frequently Asked Questions

Addressing common misconceptions about the Federal Science eLibrary

1. Will the Federal Science eLibrary (FSeL) replace all federal government libraries?

No. The Federal Science eLibrary will be built on the existing network of 300 federal libraries to supplement and enhance, not replace, departmental collections and librarians and other library staff. The role of the librarian has evolved beyond being an expert in traditional library science. Librarians are now knowledge brokers and expert advisors who search complex information sources and filter, organize and distribute key results that enable researchers to turn knowledge into discoveries and innovations. Departmental and regional library services must be sustained, as this is the only effective way of supporting the scientific, technical and medical (STM) professionals in each department.

2. Wouldn't partnering with Canadian university consortia like the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) be a more efficient way to achieve the goals of a Federal Science eLibrary?

Federal libraries do not fall under the CRKN umbrella, whose mission is to build knowledge infrastructure and research capacity in Canada's universities. CRKN's
e-journal licenses stipulate access by Canadian university faculty and students only. 

The Strategic Alliance is, however, following the tremendously successful consortia model developed by CRKN for the acquisition of e-journal licenses. The CRKN experience has shown that site licensing yielded lower subscription prices than libraries could have negotiated on their own. This approach is well aligned with the Government's shared-service model. As well, it focuses on integrating S&T efforts across departments and disciplines to optimize resources and maximize efficiencies and productivity.

3. Will departmental libraries lose their decision-making autonomy with a Federal Science eLibrary?

Not at all. As outlined in its 2003 Feasibility Study, the Federal Science eLibrary will be managed as a collaborative, cross-departmental consortium, with shared governance and central administration — a model based on the successful CRKN experience. A Steering Committee, accountable to the membership, will be established to set direction and be responsible for strategic decisions, such as approval of the procurement process and proposed negotiating strategy.

In terms of decisions about e-resources, the Federal Science eLibrary will negotiate access rights to a preferred list determined by consortium members. Departmental libraries will always require e-journals beyond what the Federal Science eLibrary will provide so libraries will continue to negotiate on their own for access to specialized reference sources not included under the consortium agreement. A recent survey of departmental libraries to determine preferred e-resources showed that there is a great deal of overlap amongst departments and efficiencies and benefits to be realized through group negotiations.

4. Isn't information available for free on the Web, through resources like Google Scholar? 

Not all information is created equal. Quality research information is published in peer-reviewed journals, and they cost money. These journals cover the full spectrum of science, including basic and applied research, technical analysis, product development and evaluations, and market and regulatory assessments. Most major STM journals are available in electronic formats that provide convenient and timely access to information anywhere and at any time. Some journals are only available in electronic format.

5. Will the Federal Science eLibrary mean the end of print collections?

Electronic journals will not end the need for print collections because libraries cannot devote their total budgets to electronic journals. There is still a need to purchase books, audio-visual materials and certain specialized publications that are required, or that are only available or affordable in print.

6. Don't all federal government researchers have the same level of access to e-journals?

Unfortunately not. While desktop access to electronic journals is now a standard research tool in universities and large private sector companies, this is not the case for the federal government. The reality is that federal researchers currently do not have the same level of access across regions, across departments and often not even within their departments.

The Federal Science eLibrary offers a solution to this challenge. It will transform the S&T information infrastructure that underpins federal government research and innovation by delivering seamless and cost-effective scientific, technical and medical (STM) information to the desktops of all federal researchers, policy analysts and decision makers. 

This move will bring Canada's government researchers closer to the research ideal of working collaboratively and building on one another's work — both within the federal government and with their peers in the academic and industry sectors. They will spend less time finding and verifying information and more time finding solutions to important Canadian issues.

7. Will the Federal Science eLibrary only benefit researchers?

The vision of the Federal Science eLibrary is to serve an audience beyond researchers that includes all government employees. More specifically, the FSeL will enhance the ability of government researchers, policy analysts, regulatory experts and others to deliver on the Canadian government's mission critical objectives in areas such as health, biotechnology, energy, environmental and health protection, security and emergency preparedness. 

In addition to benefits for researchers and other government employees, a collaborative approach to providing eLibrary services will optimize the use of scarce library resources, eliminate unnecessary duplication of systems, and transform the current process used for acquiring access rights to electronic journals for all federal departments.

8. Isn't negotiating with publishers for access rights to e-journals a simple process? 

The process of establishing and maintaining license agreements requires significant resources and expertise in negotiations for each library, as well as for Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC). There are no standard license agreements. Each publisher has its own business pricing models, making each negotiation unique.

The number and power of library consortia has grown with the advent of digital content as libraries have realized the need to work collectively to negotiate price and access rights. Currently, federal libraries negotiate on a department-by-department basis, resulting in limited negotiation power with publisher monopolies. The Federal Science eLibrary will enable collective negotiations for government-wide licenses for desktop access to e-journals, capitalizing on the power and size of the entire federal government to negotiate with publishers for the best possible price.