Independent publisher Earthscan, UK, has announced that it is freezing journal prices for 2010. The move is in response to the current recession and library budget difficulties, and with recognition of the growing importance wide dissemination of research on sustainability.
The price freeze applies globally, and will be in place for all 2010 subscriptions, both individual and institutional as of June 2009.
Earthscan is a leading publisher on environment, development and sustainability. It focuses on demonstrating how integral environmental issues are to social and economic development. Earthscan publishes around 100 new books a year alongside its expanding journals programme.
Given the current budgetary pressures facing many libraries, several companies have announced their decision to freeze prices to assist libraries in maintaining their subscriptions. In an announcement made in May 2009, Oxford Journals announced that there will be no increase in the online only price between 2009 and 2010 for the majority of journals published by Oxford Journals. Earlier that month, OECD Publishing announced that there will be no increases to the full range of SourceOECD products, as well as OECD Journals and Statistical Databases, irrespective of format - online-only or online-and-archive (print/CD/DVD). Earlier in April 2009, ProQuest extended its freeze on Continuing Service Fees, ongoing product support and access fees for perpetual archive agreements, through 2011.
