2008 Woodie Awards
Climbing price of serials stretching library's budget
Katie Bradley
Issue date: 10/31/07 Section: College News
- Page 1 of 1
With gas prices, school textbooks, and tuition climbing faster than the rate of inflation, students have to wonder if anything is actually keeping the pace with the inflation rates.
Well, now add this shocker to the list: For the past 10 years, the price of serials, which are scholarly journals, has climbed about 10 percent every year said David Lewis, dean of the University Library at IUPUI.
The library's budget is stretched and some disciplines are in a sticky situation. The journals are necessary, but the funding for them is just not there said Dean Lewis.
"It really affects the School of Science. They spend almost all of their money on journals (serials) and…they are facing a 10 to 15 percent budget cut that will be implemented in 2009," said Dean Lewis.
Lewis said that science journals tend to be the most expensive and that most people agree that publishers charge this much because they can.
"The reason they've been able to go up 10 percent a year is because journal is a monopoly good that they (schools of science, etc.) have to have…They make it very difficult for us to disengage," said Dean Lewis. "Ultimately, Open Access is the only solution."
Open Access means that the material/research can be looked at, read, or studied by anyone, not just certain institutions that pay a subscription fee.
"Publishers are fighting it (Open Access)," said Dean Lewis. Some of the top publishers of scientific journals have a rumored forty percent profit so their opposition to Open Access is understandable said Dean Lewis.
Conversely, researchers and libraries want Open Access.
"It is better for scientists to have it open to everyone," said Dean Lewis
Studies show that research published with Open Access was cited and used much more; and, ultimately, that is what faculty and researchers want, said Dean Lewis.
Open Access is gradually becoming more widely used. Cornell publishes an Open Access Journal and Research for High Energy Physics. As schools and other groups begin publishing Open Access, publishers may be forced to follow the trend, said Dean Lewis.
This is a serious situation for faculty and graduate students involved in research. It should not have much effect on undergraduates.
"Most databases that students use are not at risk," said Dean Lewis.
One of the largest and most widely used, EBSCO, is purchased by the State of Indiana.
While the databases students use to write the dreaded term papers is safe, the future for libraries across the nation and the faculty and graduate researchers that use serials is unclear.
Contact Katie Bradley at bradleyk@indiana.edu
Well, now add this shocker to the list: For the past 10 years, the price of serials, which are scholarly journals, has climbed about 10 percent every year said David Lewis, dean of the University Library at IUPUI.
The library's budget is stretched and some disciplines are in a sticky situation. The journals are necessary, but the funding for them is just not there said Dean Lewis.
"It really affects the School of Science. They spend almost all of their money on journals (serials) and…they are facing a 10 to 15 percent budget cut that will be implemented in 2009," said Dean Lewis.
Lewis said that science journals tend to be the most expensive and that most people agree that publishers charge this much because they can.
"The reason they've been able to go up 10 percent a year is because journal is a monopoly good that they (schools of science, etc.) have to have…They make it very difficult for us to disengage," said Dean Lewis. "Ultimately, Open Access is the only solution."
Open Access means that the material/research can be looked at, read, or studied by anyone, not just certain institutions that pay a subscription fee.
"Publishers are fighting it (Open Access)," said Dean Lewis. Some of the top publishers of scientific journals have a rumored forty percent profit so their opposition to Open Access is understandable said Dean Lewis.
Conversely, researchers and libraries want Open Access.
"It is better for scientists to have it open to everyone," said Dean Lewis
Studies show that research published with Open Access was cited and used much more; and, ultimately, that is what faculty and researchers want, said Dean Lewis.
Open Access is gradually becoming more widely used. Cornell publishes an Open Access Journal and Research for High Energy Physics. As schools and other groups begin publishing Open Access, publishers may be forced to follow the trend, said Dean Lewis.
This is a serious situation for faculty and graduate students involved in research. It should not have much effect on undergraduates.
"Most databases that students use are not at risk," said Dean Lewis.
One of the largest and most widely used, EBSCO, is purchased by the State of Indiana.
While the databases students use to write the dreaded term papers is safe, the future for libraries across the nation and the faculty and graduate researchers that use serials is unclear.
Contact Katie Bradley at bradleyk@indiana.edu
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