Cornell University Libraries Face Escalating Journal Costs - AIMEE CHO, Cornell Sun

The University Library’s budget is being “stretched thin” due to the “dramatically increasing” prices of scientific journals, according to Prof. Nerissa Russell, anthropology, chair of the University Faculty Library Board. “There’s been tremendous consolidation in the publishers, and things that used to be published on their own by learned societies are now being contracted out to these commercial publishers,” Russell said Wednesday at a Faculty Senate meeting. “There are about five commercial publishers, and they’re jacking up the prices to make money because they can.” Russell said there is currently an ongoing campaign at Cornell to develop a $15 million endowment for collections. She added, however, that this would only cover part of the increased need for funds. http://cornellsun.com/blog/2014/03/13/cornell-university-libraries-face-escalating-journal-costs/