An Open Letter to Librarians
Dear Librarian:
I am writing in my capacity as President of the American Geophysical Union to let you know that the concerns about the pricing of the electronic version of the Journal of Geophysical Research, which many librarians shared with university researchers, have been heard. We understand how difficult it is for libraries to absorb a step function increase in journal prices, given roughly flat budgets. I want to assure you that the costs being incurred by AGU in converting JGR and other AGU journals from paper to electronic are indeed real. However, the Union wants to soften the blow to library budgets in any way possible to allow you to continue to provide this journal to your communities.
Many of you have pointed out that the increase in the price of electronic JGR (e-JGR) over the price of paper JGR (p-JGR) is larger than you experienced with other journals. The problem with using this metric for assessing the affordability of the electronic journal is that the cost of p-JGR was unusually cheap compared with most other print journals with comparable numbers of pages. This low cost relied on the widespread use of author-prepared copy and a large number of personal subscriptions, which in effect help to subsidize the library rate. Unfortunately, author-prepared copy cannot be directly posted the library copy will be no more difficult than accessing a personal copy. Other journals that had been completely typeset in the print version experienced much less cost escalation in converting to electronic format than was the case for AGU journals with author-prepared copy. Most of the commercial publishers had virtually no personal subscriptions, other than gratis copies for Editors, and thus had always charged the libraries the full costs of producing the journal.
In addition to losing personal subscriptions to JGR and other AGU journals, we are also anticipating fewer institutional subscriptions. Institutions that previously had one copy in a central library, as well as one or more at campus branch libraries and departmental reading rooms, will now find it only necessary to subscribe to one copy that all users on campus can access. Some of the larger universities may thus find that the total cost for e-JGR is similar to or less than what they are now paying for multiple subscriptions to p-JGR. We also understand that it is not always easy to transfer the funds from many budgets to one budget, but hope that these arrangements can eventually be made.
AGU’s Publications Committee did consider the possibility of gradually raising the price of the paper subscription over the past few years in anticipation of the cost of conversion to electronic format. I understand that several other publishers adopted this route, thus avoiding the appearance of a large increase in one year. We rejected this solution, since we would in effect be charging the libraries in advance for extra capabilities that they were not yet receiving.
Fortunately, libraries can continue to take the paper copy of JGR and other AGU journals at approximately last year’s price (+9% for JGR, an increase comparable to that of other journals). This will keep subscriptions intact, so that there is no loss in continuity. If libraries can find the funds for e-JGR later this year, the full dollar amount that was committed to the print-only option will be applied to the cost of e-JGR, without penalty. Furthermore, AGU will allow libraries subscribing to p-JGR or any other AGU journal to have electronic access for a workstation in the library at no additional cost. This will let students and other researchers become familiar with the full range of additional capabilities provided by electronic publishing.
I believe that any sensible comparison of the worth of AGU journals versus that of our competitors argues that libraries are getting good value, even with the price increase. In the long term, AGU’s policy of providing an archive through a Perpetual Care Fund should save libraries accelerating storage costs. We regret the fact that some of the cost-saving measures we were able to apply to the print journals (which remain an excellent value) do not translate to the electronic journals. In no way is AGU trying to “gouge” the libraries. We are simply being honest about the costs of electronic publishing. And we are not anticipating large increases in subscription prices in the future, as would be the case if we were providing the journal initially at a loss in order to mislead librarians on the true costs of providing electronic products to their students and researchers. I recognize that these facts do not help with difficult budget decisions in the short term, but we hope that libraries will continue to subscribe at least to p-JGR and the printed versions of other AGU journals until such time as the funds can be found for an electronic subscription.
Sincerely yours,
Marcia K. McNutt
President, AGU
