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Colleagues on Medlib-L, I am forwarding this from Liblicense-l. I think ALA/MLA and other U.S. library associations should join with our European colleagues to show support and to protest another Elsevier travesty. Tom Williams, Director Biomedical Library U of South Alabama College of Medicine Mobile, Al 36695 Claudine Dervou wrote: >Statement for the new pricing model of Elsevier for ScienceDirect > >The SELL (Southern European Libraries Link) declares its deepest concern >for the new consortial pricing policy of science publisher Elsevier for >their Mediterranean customers., Extortionate price increases as high as >100%, unilateral changes in pricing ground rules involving non-previously >subscribed titles, and new access limitations are deeply troubling. Not >only are such financial demands beyond the ability of our academic >communities to take on, but they raise the question of whether such an >outrageous approach by Elsevier represents a serious, let alone a good >faith, effort to negotiate contract renewals. > >We are equally concerned about Elsevier¢s new policy regarding perpetual >access after the termination of an agreement which requires a substantial >payment per downloaded article. This policy would result in consortia >paying enormous amounts for material already purchased. Once again this is >beyond all acceptable limits and we cannot consent to such a policy. > >And finally, we are concerned that what has been and should continue to be >a mutually satisfactory and productive partnership between the academic >producers of information and the sellers of that information appears to be >breaking down to the strong disadvantage of both sides. By abandoning a >consortial approach the academic community will have access to less >information and Elsevier will face substantial declines in revenues. Once >such a breech occurs it will not be easily or soon repaired. But, if >Elsevier insists in charging so much for their products, we believe that, >rather soon than later, we will be forced to abandon any type of >cooperation or contractual relationship. > >Therefore, in the strongest possible terms we encourage Elsevier to >reconsider their radical and disruptive proposals and return to the >incremental pricing approach and use policies of their original consortial >contracts in the Southern European region. > >Endorsed by: > >HEAL-Link (Greece) >ANKOS (Turkey) >CASPUR (Italy) >CIBER (Italy) >CILEA (Italy) >INFER (Italy) >CBUC (Spain) >UMIC (Portugal) > >==================================================================== > >Claudine Xenidou-Dervos (Mrs.) Tel.: +30.2310.998208 (work) >Site Librarian, +30.2310.231039 (home) >Physics & Informatics Depts., Fax : +30.2310.999428 >Aristotle University, >54124 Thessaloniki, >Macedonia, Greece EMail: [log in to unmask] > >==================================================================== > > -- Thomas L. Williams, A.H.I.P., M.S.L.S. Director, Biomedical Libraries University of South Alabama College of Medicine BLB 326b Mobile, Alabama 36688-0002 Tel. (251)460-6885 Fax. (251)460-6958 [log in to unmask]