Digital Library Licensing Service
Invitation to Tender, Spring 2010

• About the Digital Library Licensing Service
• The Invitation to Tender
• Who can participate?
• What type of online resources?
• What subject areas?
• How do I submit a proposal?
• What happens next?
• Contact

About the Digital Library Licensing Service

The Digital Library Licensing Service is a project funded by MLA and managed by JISC Collections which aims to provide public libraries, archives, and museum libraries in England with high quality digital content at discounted prices, and with generous licensing terms.

These resources will build on those already provided through Reference Online to offer a wider range of digital content to support lifelong learning. You can find out more about the project, including presentations on the banding scheme and the model licence, here.

All the agreements for online resources are based on a small number of essential criteria:

• Acceptance and use of the DLLS model licence
• Best value pricing using DLLS bands
• Unlimited simultaneous authority-wide access
• Remote access for library members

The Invitation to Tender

The Digital Library Licensing Service is inviting all licensors of online resources (“Licensors”) to submit proposals for opt-in subscription agreements for English public library authorities.

It should be noted that in this Invitation to Tender the Digital Library Licensing Service is not seeking to purchase resources centrally, and will not purchase or pay for the online resources licensed under this initiative.

It is intended that institutions will opt-in to and license an online resource if it is relevant to their user needs. The subscription fees / purchase fees will be passed on to the content owner.

The benefits for Licensors include the stability and security of the model licence, the raised awareness of your resources and the route to market to 149 public library authorities.

Who can participate?

The Digital Library Licensing Service welcomes proposals from all Licensors of online resources.

The Digital Library Licensing Service is not intending to host any of the online resources licensed in this initiative and all content owners will be expected to provide a suitably robust delivery platform.

Online resources currently being licensed to English public library authorities through Reference Online or another national licensing scheme are not eligible for this Invitation to Tender

What type of online resources?

The Digital Library Licensing Service welcomes proposals for the following format and resource types:

• E-books – aggregator collections and publisher packages
• Online reference resources and databases
• Aggregated full-text journal and magazine collections
• Newspaper archives
• Multimedia resources – music, film, images.

What subject areas?

The Digital Library Licensing Service welcomes proposals for online resources in ALL subject areas, including:

• Genealogy and family history
• Life skills (eg learning to drive, learning a language etc)
• Resources for children and teenagers
• Consumer information
• Popular law and citizen’s advice
• Popular science and medicine
• Business and finance
• Fiction and biography

Public libraries need authoritative information that is not freely available on the internet, preferably from recognised brands, which will encourage library use.

How do I submit a proposal?

First read the Model Licence to ensure you can comply with its terms and conditions. You do not need to sign it at this stage, but compliance is one of the essential criteria of participation in the project. 

Contact us by email to receive the full Framework Agreement Tender documents.

Complete the following sections of the Tender documents:

  • Form of Tender
  • Certificate of Bona Fide Tender
  • Cover sheet
  • Content and pricing form
  • Criteria form

Please return two copies of all completed material (and any supporting information you wish to provide) to the address below.

Electronic copies of tenders may be requested at a later date.

Queries we receive from publishers about the tender will be recorded and answered on the Questions page.

What happens next?

The deadline for proposals is midday on Monday 10th May 2010.

All proposals will be reviewed by members of The Digital Library Licensing Service and the public library community. Clarifications on proposals may be sought in May and June.

It is intended that all agreements are made available by September at the latest, however The Digital Library Licensing Service will make agreements available earlier where possible

Contact

For more information on any aspect of the request for proposals, please contact:

b.taplin@jisc.ac.uk
020 3006 6012