Purchasing BIOSIS Electronic Content

Presentation to ICOLC4 Meeting

Denver, COOctober 2, 1998October 2, 1998

Overview

BIOSIS Philosophy of PricingBIOSIS Philosophy of Pricing Introduction of Consortium PricingIntroduction of Consortium Pricing Beyond Academic ConsortiumsBeyond Academic Consortiums Some Experiences Some Experiences Some ProblemsSome Problems SUCCESSES!SUCCESSES!

Libraries Needs:

Libraries Offering “Off-line On-line” Libraries Offering “Off-line On-line” ServicesServices

Proliferation of Products Put a Strain on Proliferation of Products Put a Strain on BudgetsBudgets

Networking Offered Possibility of Saving Networking Offered Possibility of Saving Cost by Sharing ExpensesCost by Sharing Expenses

BIOSIS Options

In 1991 BIOSIS offeredIn 1991 BIOSIS offered– International Tape LeaseInternational Tape Lease– National Tape LeaseNational Tape Lease

Met the needs of Met the needs of – On-line usersOn-line users– National Information Systems National Information Systems

But ...

Didn’t Meet the Need of Libraries for :Didn’t Meet the Need of Libraries for :– Institutional (Local) AccessInstitutional (Local) Access– Unlimited usageUnlimited usage– Menu Assisted SearchingMenu Assisted Searching– Campus-wide or Multi-Site AccessCampus-wide or Multi-Site Access– Consortium Pricing Consortium Pricing

Unlimited On-line Option

Introduced in 1992Introduced in 1992 Flat Rate Pricing for BIOSIS Content Flat Rate Pricing for BIOSIS Content

BUTBUT Libraries had to Negotiate with On-Line Libraries had to Negotiate with On-Line

Vendors for Access FeeVendors for Access Fee Or, the Library had to Acquire Search Or, the Library had to Acquire Search

SoftwareSoftware Not Supported by On-Line VendorsNot Supported by On-Line Vendors

A Bit of History: BIOSIS Pricing Philosophy

Annual SubscriptionsAnnual Subscriptions

Calendar Year of DataCalendar Year of Data

Institution Owns DataInstitution Owns Data

Training and Customer Support an Integral Part Training and Customer Support an Integral Part of Serviceof Service

Pricing Philosophy, cont’d

Pricing consists of two componentsPricing consists of two components– Data or Content CostData or Content Cost– Distribution Cost (Print, CD-ROM, etc.)Distribution Cost (Print, CD-ROM, etc.)

Customer Charged for Purchase of Content Customer Charged for Purchase of Content Once Once

Distribution Costs Charged for Purchase of Distribution Costs Charged for Purchase of Same Content in Different Format Same Content in Different Format

Pricing Philosophy, cont’d

In Summary, the Pricing Components are:In Summary, the Pricing Components are:– Creation of the DatabaseCreation of the Database– Distribution CostsDistribution Costs– Support CostsSupport Costs

The “First Copy Price” is Central to The “First Copy Price” is Central to BIOSIS Pricing PhilosophyBIOSIS Pricing Philosophy

1993 BIOSIS Introduced:

Pricing for Access byPricing for Access by– Individual Academic InstitutionsIndividual Academic Institutions– Multiple Sites within an Academic UnitMultiple Sites within an Academic Unit– ConsortiumsConsortiums

Same Philosophy AppliedSame Philosophy Applied

Academic Consortium Pricing

Had to be Predicable, Flexible and FairHad to be Predicable, Flexible and Fair

Price constructed by Price constructed by – Establishing the First Copy PriceEstablishing the First Copy Price– Price of Additional Copies Reduced Price of Additional Copies Reduced

Same formula for Current Year and Back Same formula for Current Year and Back FilesFiles

Academic Consortium Pricing, cont’d

First Copy - Full PriceFirst Copy - Full Price For Institutions with Serials Budget greater For Institutions with Serials Budget greater

than $300,000 - 25% reductionthan $300,000 - 25% reduction For Institutions with a Serials Budget less For Institutions with a Serials Budget less

than $300,000 - 65% reductionthan $300,000 - 65% reduction Field Stations, Community Colleges, Field Stations, Community Colleges,

Hospitals - 80% reductionHospitals - 80% reduction

Academic Consortium Pricing, cont’d

Flexibility in Building Back File Flexibility in Building Back File ConfigurationConfiguration– Different Institutions can Purchase Different Different Institutions can Purchase Different

Years of the Same ProductYears of the Same Product– Different Products May be purchased by Different Products May be purchased by

Different Institutions within the Same Different Institutions within the Same ConsortiumConsortium

No Networking Fee AppliedNo Networking Fee Applied

Academic Consortium Pricing, cont’d

Equivalents establishedEquivalents established– Student PopulationStudent Population– Number of SerialsNumber of Serials

American Library Directory American Library Directory used to verify used to verify U.S. QuotationsU.S. Quotations

World Guide to Libraries World Guide to Libraries or or World of World of Learning Learning used for International Quotationsused for International Quotations

BIOSIS Requirements for Consortium

Documentation on Purpose of Consortium Documentation on Purpose of Consortium One Central Administrative Center for One Central Administrative Center for

Billing and Technical CoordinationBilling and Technical Coordination Centralized Education and Training Centralized Education and Training

Co-ordination DesirableCo-ordination Desirable Profile of the Consortium MembersProfile of the Consortium Members

Issue: Non-Academic Groups

Pricing Introduced for Research Institutes in Pricing Introduced for Research Institutes in 19971997

Institutions Dedicated Primarily to ResearchInstitutions Dedicated Primarily to Research Could be Government or CorporateCould be Government or Corporate Generally Spread Across Large Geographic Generally Spread Across Large Geographic

AreaArea Bid by Number of Researchers, NOT by Bid by Number of Researchers, NOT by

Number of SitesNumber of Sites

Other Issues of Importance

Ownership of DataOwnership of Data Options should Insitution Drop out of Options should Insitution Drop out of

ConsortiumConsortium Option Should Consortium Cease to ExistOption Should Consortium Cease to Exist Archiving of DataArchiving of Data Redistribution and Copyright Redistribution and Copyright Term of Contract and other GuaranteesTerm of Contract and other Guarantees

In Summary: Applying the Rules...

All BIOSIS Products are Available for All BIOSIS Products are Available for Bidding and can be Mixed and Matched to Bidding and can be Mixed and Matched to Make the Best PriceMake the Best Price

Quotations can be Produced QuicklyQuotations can be Produced Quickly

All Insitution with the Same Characteristics All Insitution with the Same Characteristics Get the Same PriceGet the Same Price

Summary, cont’d

All Consortiums are not Constituted the All Consortiums are not Constituted the Same Way Same Way

BIOSIS does its Best to Maintain a “Level BIOSIS does its Best to Maintain a “Level Playing Field”Playing Field”

This is Where the Art OccursThis is Where the Art Occurs

So, What Has Been the BIOSIS Experience...

Consortiums have Expanded the Number of Consortiums have Expanded the Number of Schools Accessing BIOSIS Products Schools Accessing BIOSIS Products

43 Consortiums = 292 Sites 43 Consortiums = 292 Sites Many Smaller Schools have Benefited from Many Smaller Schools have Benefited from

Inclusion in ConsortiumsInclusion in Consortiums New BIOSIS Personnel were Needed to New BIOSIS Personnel were Needed to

Provide Quotation and ServiceProvide Quotation and Service

Some Statistics

USUS Consortiums 64.0% Consortiums 64.0% Non-US Consortiums 36.0%Non-US Consortiums 36.0%

Academic ConsortiumsAcademic Consortiums 66.0% 66.0% Non-Academic Consortiums 34.0%Non-Academic Consortiums 34.0%

More Consortium Statistics

Media PreferenceMedia Preference

– Previews Tape/OnlinePreviews Tape/Online 52.0% 52.0%

– BP on CDBP on CD 36.0% 36.0%

– BA on CDBA on CD 12.0% 12.0%

Some Differences

NON-US

US

0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00%

NON-US

US

BA on CD BP Tape/Online BP on CD

Some Problems Experienced

Expensive for BIOSIS to Respond to all Expensive for BIOSIS to Respond to all Quotations Quotations

Consortiums Take a Long Time to Make a Consortiums Take a Long Time to Make a Decision Decision

Schools Delay Decisions on Purchasing Schools Delay Decisions on Purchasing BIOSIS Products Pending Consortium BIOSIS Products Pending Consortium DeterminationDetermination

Support and Training ExpensiveSupport and Training Expensive

Consortiums Have Been Beneficial to BIOSIS

Meet the Needs of a Changing EnvironmentMeet the Needs of a Changing Environment Number of Institutions Accessing BIOSIS Number of Institutions Accessing BIOSIS

Products ExpandedProducts Expanded Products Used and Supported OUTSIDE the Products Used and Supported OUTSIDE the

LibraryLibrary Tools Used by Faculty, Students and Tools Used by Faculty, Students and

Researchers on Their Terms Researchers on Their Terms

In Summary...

It’s a Good way for Libraries to Share Costs It’s a Good way for Libraries to Share Costs and Expand Servicesand Expand Services

While they are Expensive to Bid and While they are Expensive to Bid and Service, they are Well Worth the EffortService, they are Well Worth the Effort

Thank YouThank You