Date: Wed, 05 Mar 1997 14:41:11 -0500
From: ELEANOR COOK <COOKEI@CONRAD.APPSTATE.EDU>
Subject: Re: Personal/Institutional Prices (Orion Pozo)

Orion,

What an interesting assignment. I think this would make a great paper
to be published.  Most publishers will tell you that the difference
between personal and institutional prices is the way it is because the
institutional price covers the situation where many users have access
to the journal and the personal price is subsidized by the
institutional price. That is, they could not afford to charge lower
personal rates *without* the institutional rate.  That's what they'll
tell you. Is it true? Hard to say and hard to analyze without
proprietary information about the way a particular publisher sets up
their pricing model. However, I suspect you could get a few of the
publishers of society publications to assist you with coming up with
some conclusions, possibly.
   I do not recall anything specifically like your assignment covered
in the literature, though I think the NASIG proceedings, Serials
Review, Serials Librarian, Newsletter on Serials Pricing Issues
and this list would be the best place to start your literature search.
   I hope you have plenty of time - this looks like a daunting
project! :)

Eleanor
*********************************************************************
Eleanor I. Cook                   704-262-2786 (wrk)
Serials Specialist                704-262-2773 (fax)
Belk Library
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608                  cookei@appstate.edu
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