Sample interview questions: How would you handle a situation where an electronic resource becomes unavailable or is discontinued?
Sample answer:
Steps to Handle Unavailable or Discontinued Electronic Resources:
- Verify unavailability: Confirm with the vendor, publisher, or other relevant parties that the resource is indeed unavailable.
- Communicate with stakeholders: Inform users, including faculty, students, and staff, of the issue and provide alternative access options if available.
- Investigate alternative access: Explore interlibrary loan, open access repositories, or other platforms to acquire the resource or similar content.
- Contact vendor or publisher: Reach out to the vendor or publisher to inquire about the reason for unavailability and potential solutions, such as a temporary outage or permanent discontinuation.
- Explore licensing options: Negotiate with the vendor or publisher to renew or extend the license if the resource is temporarily unavailable or discontinue the license if the resource is permanently discontinued.
- Identify replacement resources: Research and evaluate alternative electronic resources that meet similar user needs and evaluate their cost, coverage, and access terms.
- Provide training and support: Train users on the new or alternative resources and provide support to ensure a smooth transition.
- Document the process: Maintain a record of all actions taken, including communication with… Read full answer
Source: https://hireabo.com/job/18_0_21/Electronic%20Resources%20Librarian