[Eril-l] Publisher complaint -- how would you respond?

[Alana Verminski]

Hi Kate,

In my opinion, I would say something to the publisher. We had a somewhat comparable issue last year when a vendor representative contacted a faculty member regarding a renewal. Although we intended to renew the resource, we contacted the rep and made it clear that the only appropriate contact for renewals, cancellations, and invoicing is library acquisitions and collection development staff. I think this publisher's action sets an alarming precedent, but I'm curious what others have to say.

Best,
Alana


From: Eril-l [mailto:eril-l-bounces at lists.eril-l.org] On Behalf Of Sathi, Katherine
Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2016 2:01 PM
To: eril-l at lists.eril-l.org
Subject: [Eril-l] Publisher complaint -- how would you respond?

Hello my fellow beleaguered eresource librarians -

Like many libraries, we are cancelling some subscriptions beginning in 2017, for budgetary reasons.  After consulting with faculty in their respective areas, subject librarians identified titles to cancel to meet their individual budget targets.  I sent the compiled list of cancellations to all subject librarians at the end of May, and my staff begin notifying the vendors and publishers of our cancellation decisions this week.

Today a faculty member forwarded the following email  from a publisher:

"Dear colleagues -- I regret to inform you that your library has taken the decision to stop the subscription to [database name] of Washington University at St Louis, despite steady usage by students during the academic months of the year. I'm not sure whether or not staff has even been consulted on this matter (my suspicion is that it was not). We have asked them to provide us with some reasons why they have made this decision and will inform you when they get back to us.  We would be grateful if you could take this issue up with your library representative, if you wish your students to benefit from continued access to the LE. Let me know if I can provide you with further details.  Thank you for your attention and support, as ever, xxx"

The faculty member asked us, "Can you please let us know when and how this decision to cancel was made and whether faculty were involved?"  (The database was paid for from one subject area, the faculty members contacted by the publisher are in a different department).

I'm curious to know, how would you respond to the faculty member?  What would you say to the publisher, if anything?

Thanks,
Kate

Kate Sathi
Databases/Serials Librarian
Washington University in St. Louis
ksathi at wustl.edu<mailto:ksathi at wustl.edu>
314.935.3363



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