RE: Back to basics

["Rick Anderson" <rickand@unr.edu>]

> Would it not be logical if that one subscriber were the author's 
> institution (or the author's funding body)?

Of course it wouldn't.  What would be logical would be for the subscriber
to be the person who wants access to the content.  The problem is that the
logical solution doesn't accord with our (librarians') desire to provide
high-quality information to those who can't afford to buy it for
themselves.  That's why there are libraries -- so that institutions or
communities can buy access to such information at wholesale cost and
provide it to all of their constituents in return for a levy (in the form
of tuition, fees and/or taxes) that amounts to a tiny percentage of the
individual subscription cost.  Voila -- tension between libraries and
publishers.

----
Rick Anderson
Dir. of Resource Acquisition
University of Nevada, Reno Libraries
(775) 784-6500 x273
rickand@unr.edu