----------1
Subject: RE:  Price increases for 2003
Date: Wed, 20 Nov 2002 10:57:49 -0500
From: "Lynne Stevens" <lstevens@rmwc.edu>

We, too, have EBSCO, as our serials jobber.  Because we are not a research, or even
a graduate-level, school, we do not have many of the science/research titles which
increase in price so drastically.

Until last year, we had been using 10% as the figure to be added to the previous
year's prices for our July pro-forma renewal invoice.  The definitive invoice was
always quite a bit less, so last year I asked them to change the figure to 7%, not
wanting to effectively lend EBSCO money for a few months.  The definitive came out
very close to the pro-forma.  This year we also used 7% on the pro-forma.  I have
just received the definitive invoice, the total of which is less than we paid on the
pro-forma, so I'll be asking for a refund again.

On the pro-forma pricing, as well as on other matters, I have found that the
accounting department at EBSCO has been willing to work with me to arrive at
arrangements which work for both them and us.

Lynne N. Stevens
Serials Coordinator
Lipscomb Library
Randolph-Macon Woman's College
2500 Rivermont Avenue
Lynchburg, VA  24503
434 947-8133
434 947-8134 FAX
lstevens@rmwc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Harman [mailto:sharman@MDHS.ORG]
Sent: Tuesday, November 19, 2002 3:02 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Price increases for 2003

Dear Serialist wisdom;

For the last few years I've been involved with serials pretty much from
the cataloging end only.  At my previous job I had enough experience
with all the wild things that can happen to journal subscriptions to
last til I retire. Some other poor soul handles all that here.  However,
the library director just showed me some figures that have me wondering.

Our library has Ebsco as a subscription agency.  Several months ago we
paid an invoice that was a 10% increase over 2002 and was supposed to
take care of 2003 price increases.  This week we received a
supplementary invoice that increased the total price of our journals by
about 1/3.  The library director did a spot check of various journal
publisher web sites and found the institutional prices listed there were
sometimes as much as half of what Ebsco was charging.  I realize we're
paying a fee for the subscription agency's services, but this
discrepancy seems awfully large.

Has anyone else had this experience with Ebsco or other vendors?

__________

Susan E. Harman
Associate Director for Technical Services
Maryland Historical Society Library
201 W. Monument St.
Baltimore, Md. 21201
410-685-3750 ext. 362
fax 410-385-0487
sharman@mdhs.org

----------2
Date: Wed, 20 Nov 2002 09:02:01 -0700
From: "Heather Close" <Heather.Close@assembly.ab.ca>
Subject: Re: Price Increases for 2003 (2 messages)

Hi,

Just thought I would add my two cents worth.... The additional 10$
service charged was described to me by a sales rep. as a "Net title
charge" that is placed on those titles where EBSCO does not receive a
commission.  This $10US - or whatever the exchange rate is at the time -
is added into the cost of the title and is not stated as a separate line
on the invoice.  It is my understanding as well that this is a new
policy.

I've found that the supplemental invoices are pretty standard - and yes
it does throw a wrench in the works when budgeting!

Heather Close
Serials Librarian
Legislature Library
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
(780) 427-0201