Re: University of California Libraries Announce Pursuit of Value-based Journal Prices

[Ann Okerson <aokerson@pantheon.yale.edu>]

Ivy, how would such "value-based pricing" work for smaller 
journals and particularly journals in the non-sciences, such as 
many social sciences, humanities, area studies, and the like? 
Or is the aim of the document to assist in negotiations with the 
larger STM package suppliers?

Thank you, Ann Okerson/Yale Library


On Thu, 18 Jan 2007, Ivy Anderson wrote:

> [This information has been cross-posted to several lists.  Please excuse
> any duplication]
>
> Dear Colleagues,
>
> The University of California Libraries are pleased to share a
> press release describing our work on "value-based" prices of
> scholarly journals.  Please see the complete release (attached
> and below) for fuller information.
>
> Best,
>
> Ivy Anderson
> Director of Collections
> California Digital Library
> ivy.anderson@ucop.edu
> http://www.cdlib.org
>
> *********************************
>
> Press Release/Announcement
>
> University of California Libraries Announce Pursuit of Value-based
> Journal Prices
>
> January 18, 2007
>
> The University of California libraries are pleased to announce
> the availability of a report describing their work on
> "value-based" prices of scholarly journals.  Authored by a task
> force of the ten-campus library system's Collection Development
> Committee, "The Promise of Value-based Journal Prices and
> Negotiation: A UC Report and View Forward" is a direct outcome of
> the UC libraries' collective strategic priority to advance
> economically balanced and sustainable scholarly communication
> systems.
>
> The report details UC's rationale for value-based journal prices
> and modeling of prices for scholarly materials that are
> reasonable, transparent, and based upon the value of the material
> to the academic mission of the University of California.
>
> The report describes a value-based approach that borrows from
> analysis done by Professors Ted Bergstrom (UC Santa Barbara) and
> R. Preston McAfee (Caltech) on journal cost-effectiveness
> (www.journalprices.com). The UC approach also includes
> suggestions for annual price increases that are tied to
> production costs; credits for institutionally-based contributions
> to the journal, such as editorial labor; and credits for business
> transaction efficiencies from consortial purchases.
>
> Through the report the libraries ask how an explicit method can
> be established, validated, and communicated for aligning the
> purchase or license costs of scholarly journals with the value
> they contribute to the academy and the costs to create and
> deliver them. In addition to describing the work done to date,
> the report provides examples of potential cost savings and
> declares UC's intention to pursue value-based prices in their
> negotiations with journal publishers.  In addition, the report
> invites the academic community to work collectively to refine and
> improve these and other value-based approaches.
>
> The Promise of Value-based Journal Prices and Negotiation: A UC
> Report and View Forward is available at:
>
> http://libraries.universityofcalifornia.edu/cdc/valuebasedprices.pdf
>
> For more information, contact:
>
> John Ober
> Director of Policy, Planning, and Outreach
> Office of Scholarly Communication
> California Digital Library
> (510) 987-0174
> John.Ober@ucop.edu
>
> Julia Kochi
> Director, Digital Library & Collections
> Library & Center for Knowledge Management
> University of California, San Francisco
> (415) 502-7539
> Julia.Kochi@library.ucsf.edu
>
> #####