Elsevier Web Editions

["Rollo Turner" <rollo.turner@dsl.pipex.com>]

PRESS RELEASE

6 July 2007

Elsevier Web Editions

The decision by Elsevier earlier this year to withdraw their Web 
editions for the 2008 subscription year is causing some confusion 
in the marketplace when it comes to determining a replacement 
service for single subscriptions to Elsevier journals.

In the old Web Editions a subscriber to an individual print 
journal could obtain a site licence for an electronic version, 
the Web Edition, free of charge. This electronic version was 
certainly limited and gave only one year's electronic access on a 
rolling basis. This has now been replaced by one of a variety of 
services from Elsevier, none of which are exactly analogous to 
the old Web Editions. Specifically libraries face a choice 
between Science Direct E-Selects (a single journal title 
purchased in electronic format only on a multiple password basis 
rather than a site licence), or a Science Direct Standard or 
Complete package (potentially a somewhat more expensive option 
but with the virtue of a site licence). A combined print and 
electronic subscription to single journal titles is no longer on 
offer. Libraries must now pay the full rate for both the print 
and the E-Select (electronic) option if they required both 
formats. This separation of the print from the electronic also 
leaves European customer open to Value Added Tax on the E-Select 
version which, depending on the EU country involved could add 
substantially to the cost (17.5% in the UK, 19% in Germany for 
example).

This has caused considerable confusion for both libraries and 
agents in this renewal season. The situation is not helped by the 
fact that Elsevier's policy is that they will not, in general, 
deal with subscription agents for any electronic journal service. 
There are some exceptions to this general rule for certain agents 
acting on behalf of specific customers in some regions as decided 
by Elsevier, but not communicated to agents and customers in 
advance. Agents are therefore unable to quote or provide much 
information to libraries about the alternatives to Web Editions 
other than the standard print subscription.

Whilst it is entirely up to Elsevier to decide how and to whom 
they sell their products, the ASA believes that this model is not 
helpful to either libraries or agents attempting to renew 
thousands of subscriptions at this time of the year and may well 
result in the library having to pay substantially more than 
previously to maintain a site licence for a single subscription, 
or move to a potentially much more expensive package, or even 
revert to print only on cost grounds.

The ASA therefore feels this needs to be brought to the attention 
of the library community so that agents and librarians can work 
together to make the best of what is now a difficult renewal 
period for Elsevier subscriptions. We also believe that the 
difficulties faced by libraries in renewing their single title 
Elsevier subscriptions should be communicated both directly to 
Elsevier and also to their subscription agent. In this way 
Elsevier may be left in no doubt of the difficulties this policy 
is causing and consider revising their policy on web editions to 
enable single subscription combinations with a site licence as 
well as the other options on offer; and of course for libraries 
to choose their means of acquisition using an agent if they so 
wish.

Further Information from

Rollo Turner
Secretary General
ASA
+ 44 (0)1494 534778
Rollo.turner@dsl.pipex.com
www.subscription-agents.org

ENDS