Some background information on agreement UKB & Elsevier Science

["Azim Koning (UBA)" <koning@uba.uva.nl>]

Amsterdam, 27 June 2000

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Agreement between academic libraries in the Netherlands and Elsevier
Science

Last year, the academic libraries in the Netherlands, associated in UKB
(all University Libraries, the Royal Library, and the library of the Royal
Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) took up a position in the debate
on developments referring scientific information. One of its important
elements focused on the price increases of scientific journals, another
element on the gradual though rapid transition into digital information.

Since August 1999, UKB has arranged a series of consultations with some
large publishers on the subjects mentioned above. Meanwhile, UKB came to
an agreement with the world's largest publisher of scientific information
- Elsevier Science - on all items discussed. The agreement will last for
five years (2000 - 2004). Arrangements have been made on the price
development for the forthcoming years, on the availability of the digital
versions of journals published by Elsevier Science. Furthermore, the
libraries and Elsevier agreed upon doing further research (in co-operation
with other parties interested, if any) on transitions within the
information chain as a result of the availability of ICT in the academic
world. These transitions will probably induce more explicitly basal
'business models' on scientific information supply.

With other publishers consultations will be continued. As renewals of next
year's journal subscriptions have to be made before September 1st, 2000,
UKB has asked the most important publishers to provide in good time
information referring the 2001 subscription prices. UKB likes the
publishers to motivate important price increases, particularly in regard
to price developments in the last decade.

The Dutch scientific libraries, associated in UKB, will evaluate the
publisher's offers in respect of reasonableness and fairness. They will
then jointly respond to these offers.
UKB expects to improve in this manner the availability of scientific
information.

Contact person for UKB is N. Verhagen, chief librarian of the University of
Amsterdam.
Tel. (++ 31 20) 525.2307

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  Azim Koning
  Beleidsmedewerker Stafbureau Directie
  Bibliotheek van de Universiteit van Amsterdam
  Singel 425 - 1012 WP  Amsterdam
  tel. 525.2308 (secr. 2310)/fax. 525.2390
  e-mail: koning@uba.uva.nl
  http://www.uba.uva.nl
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