Sharing the cost: health information licensing programmes in Canada.
BACKGROUND
Increasing pressure on health libraries to provide access to electronic resources to their clientèle has witnessed the establishment of a number of initiatives in Canada's provinces.


OBJECTIVE
To provide a structured and descriptive account of Canadian initiatives that focus primarily on licensing health-related information to post-secondary education institutions, hospitals, libraries and related organisations in the health sector.


METHODS
Programmes were identified via communication with peers, an unpublished paper and the authors' existing knowledge. This resulted in a survey of the programmes using an online questionnaire.


RESULTS
A total of seven programmes were identified. A descriptive account of their establishment, aim and function, governance, funding, resource selection and licensing is provided.


CONCLUSIONS
Sharing out the cost of subscribing to electronic resources in the health sciences is a continued concern, as witnessed by continuing developments in this area.
Stieda
Vivian
V
Health Knowledge Network, Calgary, AB, Canada. vstieda@ucalgary.ca
Bacić
Marijana
M
D002170:Canada; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006266:Health Education / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007998:Library Science / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008004:Licensure / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires