In Margie Axtmann's last Collection Development column (v.28 no.3, March 2003) she discussed the complexities law libraries face as they attempt to keep statistical track of electronic purchases. In this, my last TSLL column, I'd like to address another complexity of electronic resources – keeping track of individual database access policies.

Like most law libraries over the past ten years, our library has acquired a variety of electronic products. From dedicated line database services to web databases, from CD-ROMs to e-journals, our library has purchased its share of electronic resources; each with a unique license agreement dictating who and how the data can be accessed. Initially, keeping track of this information was pretty straight forward, but as products have evolved from one format to another and as we have increased the number of e-products we own/lease, keeping track of just what we are allowed to do with the data has grown problematic.

Truthfully, the problem I associate with keeping track of this data may simply be a reflection of my lack of record keeping skills. Annual payments for these services require annual FY files for each payment. As a result, if we have subscribed to a service for five years, we have five files containing information about the service. In addition we may, or may not, have a separate file containing a contract or some sort of license agreement. This would be no problem if the information in the files was never needed, but at least once a year someone in the library asks, "how many concurrent users are allowed to use this database," or "do we access the database via IP or password" ("and by the way, just what is the password for that database.") I have always been able to locate the needed information, but not before spending more time than I have digging through an always growing amount of paper.

It has been clear to me for several years that I need to pull this information together, into one easily accessible file, but I've just never gotten around to it. Then, a few months ago, our University Library sent out a spreadsheet they wanted all the system libraries to complete, documenting which electronic resources were available in each library. Their purpose was to create a list of "commonly held databases." As an independent library, we were not obligated to participate in the list, but I liked the format of the spreadsheet and so I used it as a template for compiling a list of our own databases.

The spreadsheet, as received from our Main Library, included the following data fields: Database Name, Publisher, Vendor/Consortium, Purchase Order Number, Cost this FY, Renewal Date, Number of Users, and Access (IP or Password). I then added data fields for, Password, Vendor Account Number, Tech-Support Telephone Number, and Contract on File (Y/N).