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What is a Negotiated License Agreement?

A license is an agreement that is negotiated by two or more parties. Typically for libraries, the negotiated license agreement is a contract between the Licensee (the Library or institution) and the Licensor (the vendor/content provider of the electronic resource) and regulates the use of an electronic resource. The agreement outlines the terms and conditions for the Licensee and its Authorized Users (at DePaul this includes, but is not limited to current students, faculty and staff).  

Typically, the license is granted in exchange for compensation. The Licensee pays for the rights to use the content, not the ownership of the intellectual property or the software needed to access the content. 

DePaul Library negotiates licenses to provide DePaul students, faculty, and staff with access to a variety of content including databases, journals, resources for course reserves, streaming videos, ebooks, and more. The DePaul Library negotiates with vendors, publishers, and content providers on pricing and equitable license terms to ensure research resources are rapidly accessible for DePaul library users. 

Licensing Workflow Process Chart

This chart shows a simplified overview of the licensing process at DePaul Library. Some licenses move back and forth multiple times between the library and the vendor during the negotiation process. Some licenses require few changes to be acceptable for the Library while others go through many revisions. The licensing process involves a number of stakeholders for their input and approval. 

Library Licensing Guide by DePaul University Library is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

Head of Acquisitions & Collections

Disclaimer

The purpose of this guide is to educate the members of DePaul University and other interested members of the library industry about licensing processes and standards used by the DePaul University Library. It is not intended to act as a substitute for legal advice, and proper legal advice should be obtained when necessary.