Cornell Bails on Elsevier Deal

There will be no "big deal" at Cornell University in 2004. In a message sent to faculty and posted on its web site, the Cornell University library has announced that it will not renew its subscription to Elsevier's comprehensive ScienceDirect journal package. In a conversation with LJ, Cornell deputy university librarian Ross Atkinson confirmed that renewal negotiations with Elsevier were "closed" and that the library would not be purchasing bundled content in 2004.

Atkinson explained that the amount of money the Cornell library was locked into paying Elsevier was the major factor behind the decision. "This was the best business decision," Atkinson said. "This was not so much a strong ideological stand; business-wise, bundling [just] didn't work out." Atkinson said that Cornell would likely cut about 175 subscriptions, just under 20 percent of its roughly 930 Elsevier journals, but was not able to say what potential savings, if any, would be realized.

In a November 14 update, Cornell reported that Elsevier officials had contacted the library about continuing discussions, which Cornell librarians said they "were happy to do." The statement raised the possibility that some Elsevier titles could be saved from the chopping block but also nixed any chance of Cornell reconsidering its decision to subscribe to a bundled package.

The point of the decision, Atkinson stressed, was flexibility for Cornell librarians. Though each title is likely to cost more, without a major multiyear bundled commitment to Elsevier, librarians will have more control over collection decisions and will be able to respond to budget circumstances and cut titles when necessary without penalty.

In recent months, Harvard and the University of California have also balked at their multiyear "big deal" renewals with Elsevier, but Cornell is the first major research library not to renew. In each case, the sheer size of the financial commitment to Elsevier and a punitive pricing model that makes cancellations within the package costly are also at issue. "[Elsevier's rate of increase] is no less reasonable than what we are getting from other commercial publishers," explained Atkinson. "[But] because of [Elsevier's] size, it is just a lot more money."

According to figures cited in Cornell's announcement to faculty, Elsevier journals account for "less than two percent" of Cornell's subscriptions but cost "more than 20 percent of the library's total serials expenditures," in the $1.5–$2 million range. Atkinson said that a special one-time funding arrangement was needed to cover Cornell's contract with Elsevier in 2003. That funding also bought the library time to explain to faculty that cuts would likely be necessary in 2004. "No cuts were made without faculty involvement," said Atkinson, who added that Cornell faculty are supportive of and involved with the cancellation.