ALPSP Learned Journal Collectiona win-win solution

E-ICOLC, Elsinore, Denmark, 24 October 2003Laura Bonald and Yvonne Campfens

What is the ALJC? (ALPSP Learned Journals Collection)

• ALPSP – the international trade association for not-for-profit publishers (272 members in 27 countries)

• ALJC – a collection of journals from smaller ALPSP members, sold by Swets Blackwell as a single package (single umbrella licence, single pricing model)

• Overcomes the problem of:– licensing small numbers of journals to consortia and

other large customers(which is costly – in time and money – to both sides)

– high quality, reasonable priced (not-for-profit) journals losing out

How did the ALJC come about?

• Smaller publishers having a problem selling to consortia – squeezed out by ‘Big Deals’

• Libraries wanted to support high quality, good value journals from smaller publishers

• Consultation with members, libraries and those offering similar packages

• Report by John Cox

• Tender process – Swets Blackwell selected

Swets Blackwell

• Organising the ALJC• Trial management• Negotiating terms with consortia and multi-sited organisations

(the exclusive Sales Agent for the ALJC)• Swets Blackwell has the Powers of Attorney to sign the single

customer licence agreement on behalf of the publishers• Customer subscription processing and administration• Publisher royalty administration• SwetsWise online content as delivery platform:

– Single access route for the ALJC– Full text available via publisher or publisher’s host/provider– ALJC also available through “portal” on ALJC website

The challenges……and how we solved them

• A single pricing model • A single revenue-sharing model• A single licence• A single publisher agreement• Online hosting• Timing• Oversight

• A win-win solution

The Collection

• 25 publishers

• 247 journals

• 3 sub-collections– Medicine & Life Sciences (85 journals)

– Science & Technology (57 journals)

– Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (129 journals)

• Free trial period

• More publishers & journals likely for 2005

Quality content

• 90% are peer review journals• Many are ranked in the top of their group for ISI Impact Factor:

– Royal Society (Proceedings: Biol. Sciences incl. Biology Letters)– British Psychology Association (Brit Journal of Soc Psychology)– American Institute of Biological Sciences (Bioscience)– IOS Press (Journal of High Speed Networks)– Carden Jennings (Heart Surgery Forum)

• Many are official journals of the societies• App. 40% of the collection is indexed in ISI Web of Knowledge• Remaining 60% represent practical application and/or

interdisciplinary journals– Multilingual (International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability)– Institution of Chemical Engineers (Chemical Research and

Engineering Design)

Pricing model - The principles

Two options:

1. Print + Electronic: print + ALJC E-Access Fee

2. Electronic only: E-Content Fee + ALJC E-Access Fee

Special consortia arrangements available

Terms & Conditions

• 3-year contract

• 5% CAP for E-only

• 5% CAP for ALJC E-Access Fee

• Migration to E-only during the licence agreement period can be arranged (calendar-year basis only)

ALJC pricingPrint + Electronic – 1st year

All print subscriptions held the year previous to the agreement must be renewed

@ current annual list price

Print

Fixed price as announced on the ALPSP collection

annual list price

E-Access Fee+

ALJC pricingPrint + Electronic - Renewal

CAP not applied

2nd and 3rd year all print subscriptions renewed

at annual list price

5% CAP appliedYear 2 = Year 1 + 5%Year 3 = Year 2 + 5%

Print E-Access Fee+

ALJC pricingElectronic only – 1st Year

All print subscriptions held the year previous to the agreement must be converted into the E-Content Fee

E-Content Fee = Prev. year subs @ current annual list price

Fixed price as announced on the ALPSP collection

annual list price

E-Content Fee E-Access Fee+

ALJC pricingElectronic only - Renewal

5% CAP applied2nd year = 1st year E-Content Fee + 5%3rd year = 2nd year E-Content Fee + 5%

5% CAP appliedYear 2 = Year 1 + 5%Year 3 = Year 2 + 5%

E-Content Fee E-Access Fee+

ALJC Consortia pricing

• Different levels of discounts will be offered depending on:– Number of participants

– Existing subscription spend

– Invoicing requirements

The licence

• Closely based on John Cox’s licensingmodels.com– Remote users

– Course packs

– Perpetual rights

– ILL

– COUNTER compliant usage statistics

Benefits for libraries:a unique and affordable way to acquire quality content

• Simplicity: a single negotiation process, order, licence, pricing model, invoice, and point of contact

• Value for money:– Quality content for EURO 21 - 35 per title– Price increase guaranteed for 3 years– Back access from 1997 at no extra cost (if available)

• Current content: no embargoes• Instant access through SwetsWise online content• COUNTER compliant usage statistics• Multi-year licence agreement for easy planning and management

of subscription budgets• Allows libraries to maintain access to titles they already had in

their collection and offer new titles that they couldn’t afford before due to the decrease in their budgets

The bottom line

• A new partnership:ALPSP - 25 publishers – Swets Blackwell

• Fills a gap in the library market

• Provides fair deals for consortia

ALJC – a win-win solution

What they say

“There can be no doubt about how valuable such a

development could be for a journals market increasingly

dominated by large – and consolidating - players. This is just

what trade associations are for.” Nick Dempsey, EPS

“Kudos to ALPSP for this achievement”

Ann Okerson, Yale University Library

“A very welcome development for both publishers and

libraries” Serials e-News

www.alpsp-collection.org

Thank you

Laura Bonald (lbonald@nl.swets.com)

Consortia Manager

Yvonne Campfens (ycampfens@nl.swets.com)

Deputy Director Publisher Relations