Negotiations Update: Strategies for the CDL

Following the recommendations of the STIC Task Force, the CDL is negotiating for UC access to electronic content from a number of prominent publishers of scientific journals.  Our aim is to obtain either single or multi-year licenses which provide:

• Electronic journals at lower cost than their paper counterparts
• The CPI as a benchmark for annual price inflation
• Annual growth as a business expense for the publisher rather than a charge to the consumer
• Moderation of price increases
• Acceptable rights and restrictions on use of content
• Recognition of the need to provide for archiving of electronic content
  • It is essential to have a clear understanding of our business, licensing and selection principles when we enter into negotiations.  The documents below give the CDL guidance on the important elements in any contractual arrangement.
  • Within those principles, we must determine a range of acceptable terms and be willing to negotiate the best possible arrangement within that range.  For example, archiving is important, but the CDL may need to be willing to accept paper archives at the moment since no clear electronic archiving strategy is available.
  • The CDL must be willing to walk away from contracts that do not meet our needs.  Even important content may have to be rejected if the contract offered does not, for example, provide a sustainable business arrangement.
  • Everything UC does sets a precedent for further negotiations.  If, for example, one campus purchases content at a specific price, this price becomes a precedent for further systemwide negotiations and can hamper the CDL’s ability to obtain an affordable contract for all.
  • And, finally, negotiations are a lengthy process.  It can take months and sometimes even years, to obtain the contract that we need.