In some cases tier pricing is based on your institution's Carnegie
Classification  Description <
http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/classifications/index.asp?key=785 >
or, in cases where there are usage stats for an online product/journal, by
the amount of usage an institution makes of the online resource being
priced, e.g AIP titles or Project Muse.

Who applies it?  Depending on the size of your institution and/or the
programs offered by your institution (the website above spells it out in
detail) either you apply it or the pricing agent/publisher.  If your
institution does not fall into a neat Tier, then you may have to have a
discussion with the agent/publisher applying the pricing.  Since Wesleyan
University is one of those institutions that falls between Tiers, I am
always having to make a case for appropriate Tier pricing.

Who manages it?  Depends on how much you trust your vendor to be able to
manage that information for your account. Two of the larger vendors with
whom I work can keep this info as part of our records in their data files.
Otherwise, its in your hands to assure the correct pricing has been
assigned for what you think is your Tier.

I am assuming that the above information relates to the Tier pricing you
are encountering.  But who knows: maybe some publisher thought up another
method that I have not yet come across.
Gotta love the creative economic models for serial pricing.  Certainly
keeps us on our toes to stay informed!

**************************************
Helen M. Aiello, Serials/E-Resources Librarian
Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT  (A tier 2 or 3, depending on the good
graces of the pricing agency)
860-685-3828

At 02:52 PM 9/7/2006, Jane Binksma wrote:
>Hello all,
>
>Can anyone point me to a document that will define the process by which
>journals are designated with a tier (i.e. tier one, tier two etc.)?  Or,
>could anyone please enlighten me about this ranking?  I am having a hard
>time finding any sort of concrete definition or explanation.  Is this a
>standard?  If so, who applies it and manages it?
>
>Thanks for any insight,
>
>Jane
>
>Jane Binksma
>Acquisitions Librarian
>Collections Team
>Ryerson University Library
>350 Victoria Street
>Toronto, ON
>M5B 2K3
>416-979-5000 ex. 4855