ALPSP endorses new British Library INCD Licensing Framework

ALPSP endorses the soon-to-be launched British Library INCD Service for the supply of copies of articles to non-commercial end users via not-for-profit libraries outside the UK. The INCD Service is underpinned by agreements with publishers, for which a framework licence agreement, to be entered into directly between individual publishers and the British Library, has been agreed with the British Library by the International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers (STM) in consultation with the Publishers Association (PA).

ALPSP recommends that its members sign up to licence agreements with the British Library based on this framework before 29th November.

The Framework Licence Agreement
Under these agreements, articles supplied via the new service will only be available to an individual student or lecturer at an educational institution served by an authorized library or a person affiliated to the institution in another manner, for non-commercial research or private study only.

Authorised libraries, defined as non-commercial libraries linked to educational institutions that choose to use the new INCD service, will actively monitor and ensure end users' compliance with the differentiation between commercial and non-commercial use. There will be a cap on the number of deliveries to each authorized library in any calendar year. The cap is set at nine items from each volume of a journal or serial or from the same book.

INCD licence agreements with the British Library could deliver additional sales for publishers by exposing their content to a wide range of potential subscribers. The British Library will supply details about who is ordering copies under the service enabling publishers to target potential customers for subscription, where usage suggests this would be appropriate.

Additional security for publishers is provided by the cap on the number of items that can be ordered by an individual authorised library in each calendar year; once this cap is exceeded, the publisher's set fee will apply.

Fees for the INCD service will be the standard BL supply fee plus the appropriate royalty fee (as set by the publisher). Any order fulfilled using the 24-hour service will attract the full commercial fee.

The new service will start from 1st January 2012.

Next Steps for ALPSP Members
As the British Library will phase out its current non-commercial cross border service in order to start its new INCD Service at the start of 2012, publishers are encouraged to sign the licence agreement as soon as possible so that the new service can be implemented on time.

• The British Library has already contacted all publishers with which it has subscription agreements.


• Publishers who have already been contacted are kindly requested to send their signed licence agreements to the British Library by Tuesday 29th November.
  Publishers who have not yet been approached, should contact the British Library for more information and to obtain a copy of the agreement.

If you require more information, need a copy of the agreement, or want to return your signed agreement, please contact: Matthew Bailey, Licensing Manager, The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB; Tel. +44 (0) 20 7412 7308; Email: matthew.bailey@bl.uk

Full information on the INCD Service can be found on the British Library's FAQs (pdf).
In order to assist Publishers who wish to enter into the licence agreement, there is also a Toolkit for Publishers (pdf)

Sarah Durrant
Chief Executive
sarah.durrant@alpsp.org +44(0)1728 604204