FinELib-office is pleased to report that FinELib-consortium members and IEEE have signed a license agreement regarding online use of the IEL–database. The agreement ensures access to journals, conference proceedings and standards mainly in the fields of electrical engineering and computer science. The agreement doesn’t contain an open access element. More details about the agreement will be published shortly.

The negotiations came to a standstill in the fall of 2017 when IEEE attempted to move from a consortium agreement to dealing individually with each consortium member‘s library. While the libraries appreciate an individual approach in other areas such as customer training, when it comes to contract negotiations they rejected it and insisted upon continuing to use the FinELib-office’s services. They voiced this to the publisher individually and also through their co-operative bodies: Council for Finnish University Libraries and AMKIT-consortium and the FinELib steering group.

The libraries’ clear stance on the issue convinced IEEE to return to negotiations with FinELib in December. This goes to show that libraries can possess considerable power when they share mutual goals.

The libraries are very pleased that IEEE respected their choice, an agreement was reached, and researchers, teachers and students we able to continue accessing the database without interruption.