When I used 'reply', I didn't notice that it went to Charles, and not the list!

Katy G.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ginanni, Katy
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:42 PM
To: 'charlesk@librarieshawaii.org'
Subject: RE: [SERIALST] Wall Street Journal mid-year price changes

Newspapers are notoriously difficult to work with, even for subscription agents.  This kind of mid-year change in cost does not occur frequently, but it's not at all uncommon, either.  And not just for those of you who are not on the mainland.  :)

Good luck!

Katy G.

Katy Ginanni
E-Access and Serials Librarian
Coates Library, Trinity University
San Antonio, TX 78212-7200
210-999-7613 ph.
210-999-8182 fax
katy.ginanni@trinity.edu
"The time is always right to do what is right." -- MLK, Jr.
 Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Charles L. King
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:24 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [SERIALST] Wall Street Journal mid-year price changes

For at least 3 years running, the Wall Street Journal (subscribe to via
EBSCO) has stopped delivery to us and the other branches.  The reason given,
when we call to find out where our issues are, is that they had unforeseen
costs so they recalculated the cost of the subscription and cut them short.
I don't know if this is something they do only to institutions, or if they
do this to individual subscribers as well, but it strikes me as a  way to
alienate customers.

Our EBSCO rep was informed by the WSJ that letters were sent to all their
subscribers (nobody at any of the 30 subscribing branches has seen one)
informing subscribers of the change in the subscription period.

Mainly I am curious if anyone on the mainland is being treated this way, but
I am also curious if anyone can explain this (to me) contract breaking.
I've had it explained to me that our academic journals may have a price
change, as our subscription period may not fit with their publishing year,
so we are paying for the remaining part of one publishing year, and the
beginning part of another publishing year where the price may have changed.
But our WSJ subscriptions are January through December, which seems to be a
standard subscription period.

Charles L. King
Serials Librarian
Hawaii State Library
478 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96813-2994
http://www.hspls.org/serials/serials.html