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Sara Thompson on 27 Nov 11"Old models of library operation may disappear, but that does not mean they can't be replaced. Academic libraries' central book model is temporarily insulated by high prices, but change will come just the same. The time provided by this insulation should be used to explore sources of content like local special collections with clear ownership and distribution rights. Without restrictions like those imposed by many third party vendors, special collections can provide a proving ground for next generation interfaces and services. This home-grown expertise within libraries can then be applied on a wider basis in the future. The examples and efforts discussed in this column share one thing at their core, and that is that they are services made by libraries, for libraries. As a collective institution, libraries have great expertise in building sustainable preservation systems capable of lasting many years. Third party vendors do not have a proven track record on building long term preservation systems for electronic resources at this point in time. By placing our trust, funds, and collections in the hands of those third parties we turn libraries into middlemen. For the short term gain of providing easy access to next generation library services, we risk disintermediation by those vendors and removal from the service equation entirely. Libraries of all types and sizes can look inward and grow from our strengths. Major publishers and content providers aren't likely to allow new services with the same scope libraries enjoyed in the past. Fortunately, special collections and collaborative efforts are accessible to even the smallest library as perfect opportunities for gaining relevant experience and expertise. By basing that experience and expertise on homegrown services built by and for libraries, they can ensure a sustainable future of next generation services."