In the past the subscription agent s role has been based fundamentally on providing services to libraries in the acquisition and management of print journals.
Agents are in the business of offering added value.
With some exceptions, they are not owners of content. They exist to make things easier for their customers by acting as a link between publishers and libraries in the supply of subscriptions. Libraries use agents as a single source for ordering, paying, dealing with missing and damages issues, delivering journals and the agents have built up a wide range of additional services to support the core subscription service. Global purchasing of print journals is large. This is predominantly institutional buying by academic and research libraries, the main customers of subscription agents.