Bundled Journals Package Contract Negotiations Benchmarks

Report Highlights

The study presents data from 37 libraries and consortia, predominantly research university libraries, about their experiences in negotiating bundled packages of journal subscriptions with major publishers. The report gives detailed information on which librarians by work title play the primary role in negotiations, the role of others in the organization, such as legal counsel, and spending on negotiation training. The study also looks at the provisions of contracts, providing data on the percentage of contracts with financial distress cancellation clauses, with title swapping privileges, provisions for perpetual access, and use of non-disclosure agreements and other contract terms. In addition, the report looks at the role of consortia, and the impact on negotiating leverage of the growing use of open access sources and developments in inter-library loan. It also presents librarian self-assessment of their own negotiating skills, and the ease or difficulty in obtaining concessions from journal publishers, in the past, and in the future.