Dear Serialist

Re: Virginia Roy's email entitled "1997 Price Index for
Canadian Libraries" in which indicates that "Periodical price
inflation reaches lowest level in eight years", it being only
projected to rise by 10.28%.

The publishers gravy train certainly seems to be going to full steam
ahead. At a time of between 1 - 4% inflation in most industrialised
economies these price increases seem extravagant, as do the 10%+
 increases in each of the last eight years.

I realise that the supply of many academic journals is relatively low, hence
the high price. However, one would think this would be built into the
original publication price of the journal, and would not impact on any
subsequent price inflation.

How do publishers justify (if at all) such increases ?

And more importantly, is there anything that can be done about it ?

Regards

Peter Jansen
Acquisitions Librarian
Philson Library
University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
Phone (+64 9) 373 7599 ext 6131
Fax (+64 9) 373 7491
<p.jansen@AUCKLAND.AC.NZ>