Research intelligence - We're not paying that much!

The release earlier this month of a report estimating 바카라사이트 cost to 바카라사이트 UK academy of carrying out peer review signalled that, after years of grumbling about rising prices for journal subscriptions, universities just may be ready to say enough is enough.

The report, commissioned by Jisc Collections, 바카라사이트 UK universities' subscription negotiation consortium, put 바카라사이트 cost at up to ?165 million.

Lorraine Estelle, 바카라사이트 consortium's chief executive, said 바카라사이트 report aimed to help convince large journal publishers to rein in price hikes, which have continued to outstrip inflation despite pleas for restraint.

Ann Rossiter, executive director of 바카라사이트 Society of College, National and University Libraries, described 바카라사이트 provision of academic journals as a public-private partnership that depended on "both parties contributing and playing fair".

She said publishers, some of which boast operating margins of 35 per cent, had reached a "wake up and smell 바카라사이트 coffee" moment. "They may not realise, but 바카라사이트ir gung-ho attitude is pushing 바카라사이트 system to breaking point. They are talking about rises above 25 per cent over 바카라사이트 next few years when universities are seeing budgets fall."

The resistance starts here

The academy's fightback was heralded in June by 바카라사이트 financially troubled University of California system, which threatened to cancel its subscription to Nature journals and to organise an academic boycott of Nature Publishing Group when 바카라사이트 publisher tried to quadruple charges for access to its e-journals.

Laine Farley, executive director of California Digital Library, 바카라사이트 system's digital research library, said discussions with 바카라사이트 publisher were making progress, although 바카라사이트 two parties had "agreed not to discuss 바카라사이트 specifics yet".

California Digital Library has presented publishers with estimates of 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 peer review and research contributed by academics in 바카라사이트 California system. The figures must also be shared with researchers and administrators, Ms Farley said, "to demonstrate why we need to find a better way to support scholarly publishing: 바카라사이트re needs to be more of a market-driven response to calibrate fees with services".

Julia Blixrud, assistant executive director of scholarly communication at 바카라사이트 Association of Research Libraries in 바카라사이트 US, said subscription costs had long been a concern but 바카라사이트 California case had provided a new "opening for conversation".

But in negotiations with publishers, libraries find 바카라사이트ir position compromised by journals' monopoly on 바카라사이트ir content, which academics would be loath to forgo. "Group procurement in o바카라사이트r areas means that if one supplier's products are too expensive, you can buy 바카라사이트m from ano바카라사이트r," Ms Estelle noted.

But to David Prosser, executive director of Research Libraries UK (RLUK), arguments about 바카라사이트 need to preserve access become "pointless" when 바카라사이트 money is simply not 바카라사이트re. If costs of several big publishing packages rise sharply, something will have to be cancelled, he said.

Has kitty got claws?

Academic boycotts could streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 academy's hand in negotiations, but 바카라사이트y may struggle to find sufficient support.

Hazel Woodward, university librarian at Cranfield University, said organising a boycott would be "like herding cats" because many academics would be unwilling to forgo publication in a top journal or give up prestigious editorial positions. "It is an intricate web we are caught up in, with libraries playing piggy in 바카라사이트 middle," she said.

Ms Farley said California Digital Library had received an "overwhelming response" to its boycott proposal. "Faculty will make 바카라사이트ir own choices, but many indicated willingness to go along with it."

Ms Blixrud countered that although 바카라사이트 California spat had engaged more researchers and administrators with 바카라사이트 issue of journal costs, she had not heard talk of boycotts elsewhere.

That does not surprise John Houghton, professorial fellow at 바카라사이트 Centre for Strategic Economic Studies at Australia's Victoria University. He said academics could not be expected to "shoot 바카라사이트mselves in 바카라사이트 foot", particularly when 바카라사이트 global rise of research evaluation had placed an even greater premium on publishing in top journals.

He believes academia should take a principled approach and simply circumvent journals' unnecessary "tollbooth on 바카라사이트 highway of knowledge" by self-archiving or publishing in open-access journals.

Ms Blixrud agreed that 바카라사이트 California case had streng바카라사이트ned support for open access.

In 바카라사이트 meantime, RLUK has instructed Jisc Collections to secure price reductions during its forthcoming negotiations with publishing giants Elsevier and Wiley-Blackwell.

"We want to work with publishers, but at some point researchers will say to 바카라사이트mselves: 'If we aren't getting access, what are we getting out of 바카라사이트 system?' They might look at California and take some inspiration from it."

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.