Unwrapping the Bundle: An Examination of Research Libraries and the “Big Deal”

Abstract

This study presents and analyzes the findings of a 2012 survey of member libraries belonging to the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) about publishers' large journal bundles and compares the results to earlier surveys. The data illuminate five research questions: market penetration, journal bundle construction, collection format shifts, pricing models, and license terms. The structure of the product is still immature, particularly in defining content and developing sustainable pricing models. The typical "bundle" is something less than the full publisher's list. Neither market studies nor market forces have produced a sustainable new strategy for pricing and selling e-journals. Finally, the data reveal a complex history of managing license terms.

A “Gold‐centric” implementation of open access: Hybrid journals, the “Total cost of publication,” and policy development in the UK and beyond

“…The remaining component of the TCP subscriptions, is arguably the best understood. However, there have not been many studies in the published literature specifically on subscription cost data, although the nature of pricing models have been extensively discussed, particularly in relation to the purchasing bundles of electronic titles (the “big deal”; Strieb & Blixrud, ). Perhaps the main reason for the paucity of empirical studies is that cost data have often been restricted because of confidentiality clauses between publishers and higher education institutions (or consortia).…”

Open Access in Theory and Practice

“…The oligopolistic characteristics of the market have been reinforced in the digital era. Journals are now usually sold in bundles, so-called "big deals", consisting of large numbers of titleshundreds in the case of some large publishers, who typically fold all of their titles into a single big deal, something that has been common since the turn of the 21st century (Bergstrom, Courant, Mcafee, & Williams, 2014;Stoy, Morais, & Borrell-Damián, 2019;Strieb & Blixrud, 2014). Such deals have considerably enlarged the numbers of titles available to customers, since pricing models will typically charge a percentage mark-up on previous subscriptions being paid to the publisher for a selection of its titles, but now all of its titles are included in the bundle.…”

What ARE We Thinking? Collections Decisions in an Academic Library

“…Having the following criteria in mind when contemplating subscriptions has been useful in driving the dialog with research faculty and administration in discussing how SUNY Poly will build library services typical of a research university: is the publisher for-profit and do they offer tiered pricing. The trend of resisting or moving away from the Big Deal bundles is becoming a major trend in research libraries where subscription to such packages is prevalent (Strieb & Blixrud, 2014). As many of the researchers and faculty at SUNY Poly have experience with driving economic change, these discussions of market analysis and trends have proven helpful in allowing SUNY Poly to forego subscribing to large journal bundles and to initially look for different access options.…”

“…Other research institutions are able to negotiate large and increasing "substantial portions" of journal packages as a consortium (Strieb & Blixrud, 2014). However, SUNY Poly's status as a doctoral institution, and the absence of wide-scale cooperation of negotiating journal subscriptions as a consortia either within SUNY or other consortia, leave SUNY Poly to attempt to negotiate most subscriptions on its own.…”