The Big Deal…A Good Deal! eICOLC October 3-5, 2002 Thessaloniki, Greece David F. Kohl

Libraries have two, not one, problems involving journals.

Libraries Have Two Key Problems They don’t provide particularly good access to the journal literature (even the biggest libraries) They are facing a problem getting enough money to support collections –Asking for more money to buy fewer journals is not a strong or convincing argument

Proportion of Journal Literature Originally Available in Ohio Higher Education c. OhioLINK 2000 Ohio State Cincinnati Average 24.1% 38.7% 53.2%

Libraries Need a Better Funding Argument Increasing faster than the cost of living –Faculty and administrative salaries –Utilities (heating, telecommunications, electricity) –Tuition, room and board While… –The libraries’ share of the university budget has been decreasing From a high of 4% in the 70’s to around 2.5% today

The Big Deal allows you to address both issues Check it out!

How Much Greater Access to the Journal Literature Academic Press –Before: 1,140 titles –After: 9,100 titles Elsevier –Before: 3,600 titles –After: 59,800 titles

Significantly More New Titles Available – And Used c. OhioLINK 2000 Before: 1,253 titles After: 2,501 titles

HEAL-Link E-Journal Use Year 2000 The HEAL-Link deal with Academic effectively increased access system-wide –6 fold increase in titles available In 2000, the Greek academic libraries downloaded 15,459 Articles from Academic Press journals –62% were from journals not previously held in that library

How Much Cheaper is the Expanded Access Academic Press –Before: $ avg. cost per title –After: $ avg. cost per title Elsevier –Before: $1, avg. cost per title –After: $ avg. cost per title

Plus… Negotiated inflation increases are less than imposed inflation increases –Tends to run 1-3% less per year –Some European consortia have negotiated inflation increases under 3%

The Big Deal Can Provide an Effective Funding Argument National: The Canadians added $50,000,000 to collections purchases via CNLSP State: Ohio has increased new annual money for collections from $0.00 to $9,000,000 in 10 years via OhioLINK Local: University of Cincinnati has agreed to increase the Libraries’ collection budget by 8% annually

Why Has the Traditional Approach Failed? Third party payment system –Faculty and administration see collections’ costs as a library problem Non-substituteability of journals –Can’t replace a high priced chemistry journal with a low cost literature journal

Big Deal Limitations Doesn’t work well for individual instituions –Limited money –Limited increase in market Doesn’t work well for consortia when members can opt in or out –Undercuts central negotiator Works better to increase access than save money –Predicated on spending more money but getting more value for money spent

The Big Deal is Like Democracy It’s not a great solution, but it’s the best we have

For Further Data…