Help

Find answers to and guidance on our most frequently asked questions.

What is EHESS?

EHESS is a means to purchase Copyright Fee Paid (CFP) copies or to outsource scanning of material your institution owns. This 48 hour service enables you to order unencrypted, high quality documents with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for various uses within your institution.

How is EHESS different from Library Privilege and Inter Library Loans?

EHESS provides a way to purchase CFP copies, which can sit in your library stock and/or be copied under the CLA HE Licence. This differs from Library Privilege or Inter Library Loans – under these services, material is supplied but it cannot be used under the Licence, as your HEI does not own the content.

Do I need to register for the service?

Yes, a signed Agreement with the CLA is required and an additional account with the British Library dedicated to your EHESS orders will need to be set up. If you already have a separate HESS account you can use this one. A personal online account is also required for requesting via British Library On Demand.

How am I billed for EHESS?

Payment is made to the CLA. You can pay monthly or pay in advance. Invoices and statements will be despatched from the CLA on a monthly basis. Once the CLA has received transaction data from the British Library, it will be accessible to view online.

What is the difference between pay monthly and pay in advance?

It is entirely up to you whether you choose the pre-pay option or to pay monthly. There is a reduced service charge when paying in advance.

Will I receive monthly statements that will allow me to track the amount we are spending?

No, you will not receive monthly statements but you can log in to your account online and view your balance and transaction history at any time.

Who do we contact if I have a content supply query?

Please contact the British Library's Customer Services.

What is happening to the HESS service?

The current HESS provision from the British Library will be retired in April 2016.

Do I still need to check copyright permission before ordering?

If you are purchasing a CFP to place in your library stock, then no, but if you intend to copy the material then any purchasing made via EHESS should be checked against the check permissions search tool before ordering to ascertain Licence coverage.

I use ARTEmail to order items, how do I request documents through this service?

Please submit your requests using the message keyword code, PTW.

I use a Library Management System to order items, how do I request documents through this service?

If you are using an existing British Library business account you can continue to order as before using the PTW code. If you have opened a new business account you will be required to contact your LMS provider for guidance.

I use On Demand to order items, how do I request documents through this service?

Please select the following delivery options:

• Format = Unencrypted Download
• Speed = 4 days (Our service level is 48 hours)
• Quality = High
• Library Privilege or Copyright Fee Paid: un-check box

When do I need to use the CFP service?

If you do not hold a copy of the original item in your collection you will need to order using the CFP service. One CFP copy can be used over multiple courses, as long as the material is still included in CLA’s Licence and is within extent limits.

How does the quality and accessibility of EHESS compare to Heron’s scanning service? Will EHESS be able to provide accessible copies of texts for students with disabilities similar to the HERON service?

Heron scans were created using an enhanced service which delivered a fully accessible text, which was reflected in the higher price and longer delivery times. Unfortunately, EHESS documents cannot be offered as screen readable as standard. If an accessible copy is not commercially available the British Library can provide copies of entire books to support users with accessibility needs. For orders of accessible copies please contact British Library Customer Services by email or call 01937 546363.