EBSCO to acquire NetLibrary and select FirstSearch databases from OCLC

OCLC and EBSCO Publishing (EBSCO) have signed an agreement for EBSCO to acquire the assets of the OCLC NetLibrary Division in Boulder, Colorado. These assets include the NetLibrary eBook and eAudiobook platform, service and operations. EBSCO has also acquired the rights to license a number of vendor databases currently provided by OCLC through the FirstSearch service. Information about the agreement is available in the full press release. In addition, there are two very detailed FAQs that should answer any questions you may have about this agreement: OCLC FirstSearch FAQ EBSCO NetLibrary and FirstSearch FAQ We have pulled some information from these FAQs that relates directly to Nebraska libraries. NetLibrary The NetLibrary eBook and eAudiobook platform will continue to be accessible at www.netlibrary.org. All eBooks purchased by libraries, including eBook Shared Collections, will continue to be available on the NetLibrary platform. All NetLibrary eBooks purchased by libraries will be placed in an OCLC dark archive, the OCLC eBook Archive. EBSCO will also place new NetLibrary eBooks purchased by libraries into the OCLC eBook Archive. EBSCO will continue to offer OCLC‐MARC records free of charge for all NetLibrary eBook purchases. All NetLibrary configurations and authentications will remain the same. All catalog links to the NetLibrary platform will remain the same. For the Nebraska Library Commission’s NetLibrary Shared Collection with Lyrasis, EBSCO supports the now-open 9th shared collection as we’ve launched it and we’re not expecting major changes to the current offer. So, you will still receive this collection thru the Commission and you will still place your order for this collection thru the Commission. As with the previous collections, you will continue to receive your billing from Lyrasis. FirstSearch FirstSearch Base Package databases, provided by the Nebraska Library Commission through NebraskAccess, are not among those affected by the EBSCO or H.W. Wilson agreements. There are no planned changes in access to the Base Package subscription at this time. FirstSearch subscribers to databases that they pay for themselves will continue to receive access to those databases on both the FirstSearch and WorldCat.org platforms through the end of their subscription period.