© 2007 American Library Association Notes on Operations: Electronic Resources Communications Management A Strategy for Success

Communications in the workflow of electronic resources (e-resources) acquisitions and management are complex and numerous. The work of acquiring and managing e-resources is hampered by the lack of best practices, standards, and adequate personal information management software. The related communications reflect these inadequacies. An e-resource management communications analysis at The Ohio State University Libraries revealed the underlying structure of the communication network and areas that could be improved in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. E-resources management must be responsive to the high expectations of users and other library staff. Efficient management of the related communications network increases the likelihood of a productive and successful operation. As more resources become available in digital format and their acquisition and maintenance increase in complexity, the management of these resources in academic libraries demands greater attention. In a 2005 article, Cole described the complexities that those who manage electronic resources (e-resources) face on a daily basis.1 The communication network related to e-resources management also is complex. As libraries face the question of how to provide more services with fewer resources, administrators often expect e-resources acquisition units to manage more resources with fewer staff than their peer print acquisition units