This partnership helps us fulfill our vision of promoting ready access to our collection for everyone who wants to use it. This is great news for research and scholarship, and will give unparalleled access to our vast collections to people all over the world.

We are well placed to act as an honest broker between different stakeholders.

Most people are aware that a national switch to digital broadcasting is expected by the end of this decade. Less well known is the fact that a similar trend is under way in the world of publishing. By the year 2020, 40 percent of U.K. research monographs will be available in electronic format only, while a further 50 percent will be produced in both print and digital. A mere 10 percent of new titles will be available in print alone by 2020.

We're looking to what level of partnership we can get, and what a partner wants from us in exchange.

There was good chemistry between us and I think we formed a good partnership together, with her being the gutsy, working woman and me being the sort of guy who stays at home mending watches and evolving into another level of man, as it were.

We are compatible, but have different styles. We've been really blessed with our partnership and it has worked for us.