UK digital library licences and authentication systems: national versus local approaches

To examine the system of electronic library service licences and authentication in the UK, and highlight its hybrid local – national approach.

A narrative account of our national negotiating and network security practice, combined with brief illustrations of alternative practices elsewhere in the world.

That the UK system may be nearing the end of its lifespan, given the level of resourcing available to UK HE.

The relationship between educational funding levels and national licensing practice and authentication systems needs to be explored in some depth by timely, focussed research – research that should show full awareness of other international models.

New directions in model licences and authentication practice in the UK may be very resource‐intensive to pursue at grass‐roots institutional level. The practical difficulties should be scrutinised very carefully before our time‐honoured system is given a new lease of life.

The paper challenges the view that the UK information system is broadly as well positioned as it could be in terms of licence and digital library security/authentication systems. We in the UK should take a humble look at other international models and learn lessons from them.