JISC/CNI 08: Directions and New Collections - Kevin Guthrie, President, ITHAKA

Think of the academic system as an ecosystem – electronic developments intruded into that ecosystem; we now share space with them.
Relentless need to innovate, provide higher value systems. Todays value added = tomorrows commodity
Newspaper Publishing
Look at how this ecosystem is doing (funded by JISC/SCA)
Discontinuous, disruptive change
News papers in decline
Competition for audience – new players moving into online e.g. BBC, losing geographic leverage. cf libraries

Digitisation for Success

Grants are for start-up; not sustainability

Cost-recovery is insufficient. Growth is necessary as more added value is required, more IT investment required

Value is determined by impact
Subscription engenders discipline. Need to determine community of users to ‘sell’ at any level

Scale matters – consider partnerships, mergers and acquisitions (regarded as success on commercial work)

Flexibility, nimbleness & responsiveness are key – accept there may be need for change

Leadership must be fully dedicated and accountable (this is an entrepreneurial exercise)


We need to set up examples of revenue models as part of project