Jisc and Universities UK Call for Publishers to Reduce Their Fees by 25% to Maintain Access to Essential Teaching and Learning Materials

From JISC:

The Universities UK Jisc content negotiation strategy group is calling on major academic publishers to seek reductions of 25% on all agreements in light of the severe financial impact institutions are facing because of the pandemic.

In a joint letter on behalf of the sector, the strategy group recognises the tremendous support publishers have offered to institutions and colleges as they responded by opening up their content and collections during the start of the crisis. The focus of institutions is now on preparing for online delivery in September and examining what digital content they can afford to maintain access against the budgetary efficiencies they will need to deliver.

Chair of the UUK/Jisc content negotiation strategy group, Professor Stephen Decent, says:

“The depth of the financial challenge facing universities and their libraries is unprecedented. Institutions need not only to continue existing provision of content but to further enhance the range of content available online to students, researchers and staff. This places extraordinary pressure on budgets which are already seeing cuts of up to 40% at some universities. Tough decisions will need to be made and cancellations at some institutions are a reality.”

Read the Complete JISC Blog Post

See Also: ARL, ACRL, Oberlin Group of Libraries Urge Library Vendors to Continue Free Access (June 5, 2020)

Filed under: Associations and Organizations, Companies (Publishers/Vendors), Funding, Libraries, News