Re: Price Rollback for SPIE Digital Library

[David Prosser <david.prosser@rluk.ac.uk>]

As somebody who has commented on journal price rises in the past, 
can I say how welcome this announcement from SPIE is.

I believe that publishers such as SPIE are stepping up to the 
plate.  It is now up to the library community to try to ensure 
that publishers who reduce their prices are rewarded in 
purchasing decisions.  I know that it is difficult in the 
dysfunctional journals market, but if we don't respond positively 
to price reductions then there will be no incentive for 
publishers to continue to offer them.

David

David C Prosser
Executive Director, RLUK


On 2 Aug 2011, at 03:37, Mary Summerfield wrote:

> SPIE is pleased to announce a price reduction for the SPIE
> Digital Library. This is the second price reduction in three
> years as SPIE recognizes the continuing economic challenges
> facing libraries.
>
> If you have any questions, email <mailto:info@SDLinfo.org> or
> contact your Sales Representative directly.
>
> ***
>
> SPIE Digital Library cuts prices for second time as subscriber base
> continues to grow
>
> 20 July 2011
>
> BELLINGHAM, Washington, USA -- SPIE, among the first publishers
> to respond in 2009 to economic challenges besetting the research
> library community by reducing subscription prices, is further
> reducing the prices of its SPIE Digital Library.
>
> SPIE is reducing current prices by 5% for 2012, Director of
> Publications Eric Pepper announced today.  SPIE implemented a 10%
> rollback in pricing for institutional subscriptions to the SPIE
> Digital Library <http://spie.org/x2836.xml> in 2010 to help
> libraries contain costs, and sustained this by freezing prices in
> 2011.  Pepper said the decision to institute an additional price
> reduction in 2012 comes from its commitment to the Society's
> mission to provide optics and photonics educational resources to
> as many people as possible, and to the Society leadership taking
> a long-term and realistic view of the economic situation that
> research libraries face.
>
> "As our subscription base has grown, we have been able to create
> flexible new pricing options that have made it possible for
> smaller and more specialized libraries to subscribe, along with
> larger libraries and consortia, thereby increasing our subscriber
> and user base," Pepper said. "This latest price rollback is
> another way that we can share the very positive results of this
> growth in a real and practical way with the educational and
> research organizations and companies interested in optics and
> photonics technologies."
>
> SPIE has offered the price rollbacks while expanding services,
> features, and content for a growing number of companies,
> universities, and institutes.  Looking forward, SPIE will
> continue adding new content to the library, and is planning a
> major new platform change and upgrade for launch next year. This
> year, new functionality such as "more-like-this" recommendations
> was added to the SPIE Digital Library, and the Society began
> publication of the new Journal of Photonics for Energy
> <http://spie.org/x40729.xml>, which is freely available in 2011,
> and available by subscription starting in 2012. In 2010, SPIE
> added eBooks <http://spie.org/x36371.xml> to the SPIE Digital
> Library, and launched its open-access journal SPIE Reviews
> <http://spie.org/x30977.xml>.
>
> The 5% price reduction applies to current and new subscriptions
> to the full SPIE Digital Library, which includes the Proceedings
> of SPIE and all SPIE Journals, and to topical segment
> subscriptions. It does not apply to consortia arrangements, for
> which customized discounts are already applied, however, 2012
> prices for consortia will be frozen at 2011 rates. The price
> reduction does not apply to SPIE eBooks, specially discounted
> subscriptions or promotional packages, or to institutional
> subscriptions to journals purchased independently of the SPIE
> Digital Library.  The SPIE Digital Library is the world's largest
> resource for optics and photonics research. The collection
> includes nearly 320,000 journal and proceedings articles
> published from 1990 to the present, with approximately 18,000 new
> articles added annually.  Topics span the broad interdisciplinary
> fields of optics, photonics, and imaging, with applications
> across biomedicine, communications, energy, aerospace, defense,
> manufacturing, computing, sensors, entertainment, and
> electronics.
>
> More than 40,000 SPIE papers are cited in over 20,000
> high-technology patents registered with the U.S. Patent and
> Trademark Office. Thousands of other citations appear in the
> international patent literature.
>
> SPIE will begin contacting current subscribers with renewal
> information in late July, which will include the 5% price
> reduction information. Learn more about the SPIE Digital Library
> at spie.org/x2836.xml, or visit the SPIEDigitalLibrary.org
> website.
>
> View a presentation on the market research that went in the
> price-reduction decision, and the Society's philosophy on
> providing technical resources to the community.
>
> SPIEm the international society for optics and photonics, was
> founded in 1955 to advance light-based technologies. Serving more
> than 180,000 constituents from 168 countries, the Society
> advances emerging technologies through interdisciplinary
> information exchange, continuing education, publications, patent
> precedent and career and professional growth. SPIE annually
> organizes and sponsors approximately 25 major technical forums,
> exhibitions and education programs in North America, Europe, Asia
> and the South Pacific. SPIE provided over $2.3 million in support
> of education and outreach programs in 2010.
>
> With best regards,
>
> Mary Summerfield
>
> SPIE Publications Business Development Manager