Re: News Release: Project Transfer

[Ann Okerson <ann.okerson@yale.edu>]

Joe and all:  Having been in circumstances wherein a learned 
journal's contract with current publisher is ending and we are 
reviewing new proposals:  there can be mission-critical reasons 
for increase in prices. In the most recent situation that I know, 
the current publisher is not well able to provide for the needed 
expansion and infrastructure of said journal.  Even staying with 
the same publisher would lead to a larger price increase; moving 
will facilitate and enable the journal's projected, appropriate 
growth -- which will thus raise the subscriber cost more than we 
(librarians) might have expected.  Nonetheless, it is beneficial 
to move, etc.

A responsible journal will describe and explain such a decision. 
There can be many reasons for prices to increase, and one 
shouldn't be quick to always blame a change of publisher for 
that, without having more facts to hand.  But we should and can 
ask for facts.  Ann Okerson/Yale Library


On Thu, 10 May 2007, Joseph J. Esposito wrote:

> The proposed Code of Practice appears to be a good idea.  It 
> may have some unintended consequences, however, which 
> participants in scholarly communications may wish to consider.
>
> The Code is for "Journals Transferring Between Publishers." 
> You may well ask why journals transfer.  There are many 
> reasons, but to name just a few: money, access to technology, 
> new managment, and marketing. While there are exceptions, 
> transfers typically occur from small publishers to larger ones 
> (which may themselves be not-for-profit) and often from 
> not-for-profit publishers to commercial organizations.
>
> Members of this list may wish to confirm or challenge my 
> hypothesis that journals that transfer are more likely to have 
> above-average price increases than journals that do not 
> transfer.
>
> Thus the Code, which facilitates transfer, is likely to result 
> in a smooth transfer AND higher prices.  Is the Code a good 
> idea? Yes.  Are higher prices a good idea?  It depends on 
> whether you are buying or selling.
>
> Joe Esposito
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Acreman, Beverley" <Beverley.Acreman@tandf.co.uk>
> To: <liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2007 8:50 AM
> Subject: News Release: Project Transfer
>
> > UKSG Working Group "Project Transfer" invites Publishers to 
> > sign-up to an agreed Code of Practice to Improve Procedures 
> > for Journals Transferring Between Publishers
> >
> > Oxford, UK - 9th May 2007- Project Transfer is inviting 
> > publishers to sign up to a Code of Practice which aims to 
> > improve the procedures and policies surrounding the transfer 
> > of journals between publishers. The Code has been drafted with 
> > extensive help from many of the major international publishing 
> > houses and has already been applauded as an excellent step 
> > forward by the contributing library community.
> >
> > The Code outlines a set of guidelines for both the 
> > Transferring and the Receiving publisher in any journal 
> > transfer. Comprehensive in its detail, the Code covers the 
> > thorny issues of ongoing access provision to online content, 
> > exchange of subscriber lists, DOI and URL transfer as well as 
> > the division and definition of born-digital versus newly 
> > digitized backfile content.
> >
> > The Project Transfer Working Group is inviting publishers to 
> > sign up to this Code through the Project website: 
> > <http://www.projecttransfer.org/> where the Code of Practice 
> > can also be found. Full details of the Code were launched at 
> > the UKSG Annual Conference in Warwick (16-18 April 2007).
> >
> > More information is available on the UKSG website: www.uksg.org/transfer
> >
> > Bev Acreman
> > pp UKSG