RE: American Geophysical Union 2007 Journal Subscription Prices

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

Thanks to Judy and the AGU for this pricing news.

I have a question about license terms, however.  Has the AGU 
ceased requiring its institutional subscribers to assume legal 
responsibility for the behavior of their patrons?  That 
requirement (not pricing) has kept us from purchasing online 
access to AGU publications in the past -- something we would 
dearly like to do.  Until the AGU joins the rest of the online 
publishing world, however, and recognizes that it makes no sense 
to require libraries to act as parents to their patrons, it won't 
be possible.

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

> -----Original Message-----
> [mailto:owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Nina Tristani
> Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 3:08 PM
> To: liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
> Subject: American Geophysical Union 2007 Journal Subscription Prices
>
> American Geophysical Union Announces 2007 Subscription Prices
>
> In setting AGU journal prices for 2007, we have continued the 
> practice of charging only for the service being provided. 
> Subscribers who want only the electronic version are not asked 
> to support the additional costs of producing and distributing 
> the print product.
>
> Last year, when we introduced this more equitable approach for 
> pricing, we were able to drop the electronic subscription 
> prices to most journals by 10% or more.  In 2007 for most 
> journals, there will be no increases in the subscription price 
> for the electronic version.  For two journals, rates will be 
> reduced 10% or 15%.  For a handful of journals, for which we 
> expect growth in material published, there will be increases of 
> 6% to 14% and in one case 39%, because the journal will be 
> almost half again the size of last year.
>
> In general, print prices have a marked increase for 2007.  For 
> a few of titles, we have been able to hold the price; for one 
> we could drop the price; but for most the print-only 
> subscription rates have increased between 9% and 26%.  Print 
> subscriptions are being routinely replaced by electronic-only 
> subscriptions at many institutions.  As a result, there are 
> significantly fewer subscribers to bear the added costs of 
> producing the printed copies.  Institutions choosing the 
> electronic option can continue to subscribe to a print add-on 
> at less the cost of print-only.
>
> The print add-on rates have been increased so that they are 
> carrying a fairer share of the added costs of print production. 
> Even with these increases, there is still a gap between 
> anticipated revenue from print subscriptions and what is needed 
> in the long run to sustain print.
>
> We expect to see comparable rates of increase in the future for 
> print. The size of the increase will depend heavily on the 
> continuing decline in the number of institutions choosing 
> print. There will come a time when there are not enough for 
> print to be economically feasible.
>
> The electronic version is the journal of record for AGU 
> publications. More and more, the electronic version differs 
> from the print as authors take advantage of the medium to 
> publish animations, videos, and other dynamic material - 
> features not possible with the printed version.  Some AGU 
> journals are only available in electronic format.  We see a 
> future when electronic format will be the only one for all AGU 
> journals.
>
> Prices and terms can be found at
> http://www.agu.org/pubs/Institution_Rates_2007.pdf
>
> Judy C. Holoviak, Deputy Executive Director and Director of
> Publications
>
> Nina Tristani
> Group Manager, Marketing and Membership
> American Geophysical Union - AGU
> 2000 Florida Avenue, NW
> Washington, DC  20009
> 202-777-7315
> 202-328-0566 (fax)
> www.agu.org