VIVA will cancel Blackwell Synergy as of 12/31/10

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

Forwarded on Behalf Of Kathy Perry [kperry@gmu.edu]

Colleagues,

This statement was released today, Tuesday, June 22, 2010

The Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA) announces that despite 
discussions over a 7-month period, it has not reached a 
satisfactory conclusion to negotiations with Wiley for the 
Blackwell Synergy Journal Collection.

For four years, VIVA subscribed to the Blackwell Synergy Journal 
Collection, a core group of journals ranked highly by our 
members.  Wiley's acquisition of Blackwell has created a larger 
collection at a much larger total price, but one that our members 
did not value as highly and which our members were not able to 
support.  Efforts to identify a smaller collection of desired 
titles were not successful in achieving a sustainable price, 
particularly important given the current economic crisis and the 
uncertainties of our members' future funding.  As a consequence, 
the VIVA contract for the Blackwell Synergy Journal Collection 
will end at the conclusion of the existing contract period on 
December 31, 2010.

VIVA remains dedicated to leveraging available funds and pursuing 
alternative resources for the VIVA institutions.

VIVA is the consortium of the nonprofit academic libraries with 
the Commonwealth of Virginia.  Members include all of the 39 
state-assisted colleges and universities (the 6 doctoral 
universities, 9 4-year institutions, and 24 community and 
two-year branch colleges), as well as 33 of the independent 
(private, nonprofit) institutions and the Library of Virginia.

VIVA's mission is to provide, in an equitable, cooperative and 
cost-effective manner, enhanced access to library and information 
resources for the Commonwealth of Virginia's nonprofit academic 
libraries serving the higher education community.

Katherine A. Perry
VIVA Director