ABSTRACT
Licensing work within libraries can generally be traced back to the 1990s with the emergence of e-journals, a new format that then generally replicated the content of its print equivalent. Unlike print, however, the online version meant that libraries did not own or control access to the content. Rather than providing access to content within the confines of library walls, libraries license access to content that is available on the Web sites of publishers or content providers. This shift in control over access to content is still at the heart of licensing negotiation today. Content owners, concerned with the ease with which online content could be transmitted to unauthorized users in an online environment, began the practice of drawing up license agreements to better protect their market share and to clarify usage permissions. The introduction of the license agreement as part of the collections acquisitions process had two major results: the governance of access to content is now legally placed under contract law and authentication measures come into play.
