Market research and data services provider Research and Markets, Ireland, has announced the release of the report, 'The Survey of Academic & Research Library Journal Purchasing Practices'. The report looks closely at the acquisition practices for scientific, technical and academic journals of academic and research libraries.
Survey participants discussed issues such as attitudes towards the pricing and digital access policies of select major journal publishers; preferences for print, print/electronic access combinations; and electronic access alone arrangements.
The report covers spending plans; preferences for use of consortiums; and use of, and evaluation, of subscription agents. It also charts attitudes towards CLOCKSS, open access, use of URL resolvers and other pressing issues of interest to major purchasers of academic and technical journals.
The study presents data about the journals acquisitions and management practices of an international sample of academic and research libraries. The issues covered include spending trends; use of print vs. electronic access; purchases in "bundles"; purchases through consortia; the role of subscription agents; use and plans for use of open access; attitudes towards the pricing practices of a range of major journal publishers; sources of funding for journal purchases, relations with academic and administrative departments of library parent organisations; and the practical management of the journal acquisition process.
