More Re: Nature subscriptions responses

[lbusby <lbusby@lib.uwo.ca>]

I have spent a good part of this week attempting to reach agreement with
Nature Online for the University of Western Ontario to subscribe to Nature
site licenses.  We are the 5th largest academic library in Canada.  In
addition to all the caveats and concerns already expressed on this list we
ran into another disconcerting issue.  Nature Online is refusing to honour
the quote given to us by Donna Muscatello last fall.  Donna's quote
clearly and unambiguously stated that "Terms and price are good through
12/31/01."  They are not.  Nature Online has changed its pricing structure
and formula for calculating subscription rates -- possibly several times
since Donna's quoted to us.  The current price for Nature Online (weekly)
is over twice what Donna quoted to us.  The company suggested that "we
split the difference".  We have said no.  If we did agree to this "split
price" our renewal would come based upon the higher price that they want
us to pay.

However, we are proceeding with subscribing to Nature monthlies.  That
price is consistent with Donna's quote -- actually, to be more accurate,
the current quote is consistent with Donna's quote up until the end of
this month only.

This whole situation is very distressing.  Nature Online cannot be counted
on to back their employees and cannot be counted on to provide a stable
and reliable pricing structure.  If we weren't caught in the classic
squeeze between our user's needs/demand for this information and our
desire to exercise our rights as a customer we would not do business at
all with Nature.  Our compromise to go with the monthlies is not a
comfortable position but one which we are taking.

Lorraine Busby
University of Western Ontario

____

"Harbert, Cathy" wrote:

> The following "major" institutions responded that they were purchasing the
> site licenses from Nature:
>
> Rockefeller University Library: Nature, Nature monthlies, and Nature
> review titles
>
> University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio:  buying thru
> their U-T System Digital Library Consortium
>
> University of Nebraska-Lincoln:  purchasing Nature Biotechnology
>
> Rush University:  Nature Neuroscience only
>
> A few other small organizations said that they would purchase the site
> licenses, but the majority of responses from organizations in the US and
> other countries were saying that they would not sign up under the present
> terms.
>
> Cathy Harbert, Manager of Library Services
> Howard Hughes Medical Institute
> 4000 Jones Bridge Road
> Chevy Chase MD 20815
> phone:  301-215-8661
> fax:  301-215-8663
> harbertc@hhmi.org