Hi,

The danger is that journal packages typically increase more than what you had expected, or more than the negotiated cap in a multi-year deal. Many of our journal packages are going up several percentage points more than the cap, by adding new journals we didn't want.

The cost of these packages is such that those several percentage points really add up. This is happening not only with commercial publishers but also society and university press packages. When multi-digit items go up 8-9% every year, it's like cancer metastasizing in the library budget.

After having learned our lesson the hard way, we are not entering the embrace of any more big journal packages, knowing that once in their welcoming arms we're going to be "unpleasantly surprised." (euphemism for your choice of words).

* I guess this is legal since these agreements are typically negotiated by consortia, and the consortia folks would know if the license agreement was being violated (?)

--

Diane Westerfield, Electronic Resources & Serials Librarian
Tutt Library, Colorado College
diane.westerfield@coloradocollege.edu
(719) 389-6661
(719) 389-6082 (fax)

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Judith Koveleskie
Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2012 7:22 AM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] outrage of the day--Sage and the American Educational Research Journal

I wonder if this is to encourage libraries to purchase their database.   If you have enough SAGE titles, you might find it is less expensive to cancel individual subscriptions and go that route, picking up quite a few additional titles in the process.

Sent from my iPad

On Oct 5, 2012, at 8:01 PM, Christina Torbert <ctorbert@OLEMISS.EDU> wrote:

> Jim
> I got similar information from our vender this week. I always tell our subject specialists that if a title is purchased by Sage, assume the price will rise by 30% or more. They do it every time. Interesting that they admit it isn't because the title was losing money.
> Christina Torbert
> University of Mississippi
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Oct 5, 2012, at 6:40 PM, "Jim Millhorn" <millhorn@NIU.EDU> wrote:
>
>> Greetings,
>>
>> Our serials agent--Harrassowitz--performs a valuable service in informing us whenever a journal's inflation rate exceeds 15%.  This morning I was a astonished to learn that more than a dozen Sage journals--and these are fundamental titles--exceeded the 15% rate and a couple were in excess of 50%.  However, the topper was the American Educational Research Journal whose inflation rate weighed in an at more than 100% ($387 to $806.)  Moreover, before Sage took over the title in 2006 it was priced at $147.
>>
>> I called Sheenagh McCarthy from Sage marketing to voice or displeasure and ask what the hell is going on.  She explained--very nicely--that she understood the gravity of the situation and comprehended that such severe inflation rates placed an enormous burden on libraries.  On the other hand, Sheenagh indicated that Sage had conducted a "marketing study" that concluded that a number of Sage journals were under priced for their field.  And hence the major price increase.  I asked whether these journals were losing money previously, and she indicated no.  In addition, Sheenagh opined that it was the respective Associations that were demanding the severe price hikes.  All I can say is that if a number of prominent publishers follow in the footsteps of Sage then we are in for a very rough ride.
>>
>> Best,
>>
>>
>>
>> Jim Millhorn
>> Acquisitions & Electronic Resources
>> Northern Illinois University Libraries DeKalb, IL 60115
>> ph: (815)753-1054
>> fax: (815)753-9870
>> email: millhorn@niu.edu
>>
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