Technical Issues on Korean Online Database Group Purchases

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Technical Issues on Korean Online Database
Group Purchases

• Mikyung Kang (UCLA)
• Jaeyong Chang (UCB)
• Korean Studies Librarian

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Experiences on Korean CD-ROM group purchase
in 1998

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What I dreamed was

• Sharing costs
• Getting more bargaining power
• Collaborating among EAALC (East Asian Academic
  Librarians of California)

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But, what I faced was
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Technical problems

• Required Korean Windows to install
• All file names were Korean
• UnionWay was not stable enough,
• but the only available way to input for
• Korean characters to
• search in English
• Windows

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Communication problems

• Ignorant of technical language (Computer
  technicians are using different languages!!)
• Hard to understand technical terms for
  hardware/software
• Not able to translate of course

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Commitment problems

• Started with 5 libraries which promised to
  participate
• Only 2 libraries left in the end

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Lessons from the past experiences

• Wait for the right timing
• Technically ready
• Financially ready
• Psychologically ready
• Let Korean DB vendors know of potential oversea
  customers

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In the meantime

• Online Services for all CD-ROM titles and more DB
  titles available
• Global IME works fine with Korean online
  databases
• PDF format full-text files available
• Free trial online service offers

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Free Trial Services

• Offered from three Korean DB vendors for initial
  6 mo.
• Nuri Media KRpia DBpia
• Dongbang Media
• EncyKorea Korea AtoZ
• KSI KISS

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When you have online DBs..

• No installation needed
• No Korean Windows required
• No special software needed, except Global IME
• Global IME is good enough for searching
• Easy access
• Convenience

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In 2003

• Expanded free trial services until June 30, 2003
• Web-based Survey on usage of Korean Studies
  online databases during Jan.-Mar. 2003

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After the survey and the trial services

• Not much technical problems reported
• Usage statistics available from the vendors
• Many recommendations from users
• Consensus among UC Korean Studies Librarians for
  consortial purchases of Korean online databases

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KSI online statistics
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UCLA EAL homepage
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So, finally decided to purchase/subscribe Korean
Online databases as a group again
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Experiences on Korean Online Database group
purchases in 2003
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Again, what I dreamed was

• Sharing costs
• Getting more bargaining power
• Collaborating among Korean Studies Librarians,
  UC-wide as well as Nation-wide
• Easy access
• Time and energy savings

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But, still problems
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Technical Problems

• Proxy server connection
• Computer configuration at home
• Not easy to help users home access problems
• Hangul typing through Global IME (not familiar
  with Korean keyboard mapping)

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Communication Problems

• Time difference between Korean vendors and US
  libraries
• Hard to communicate with the vendors, if you
  dont know them in person
• Users searching technique problems for Korean
  words

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Many Thanks to

• Jaeyong Chang (UC Berkeley)
• Hee Sook Shin (Columbia Univ.)
• Yunah Sung (Univ. of Michigan)

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Any questions?

• Thank you!