From: "Hamaker, Charles" <[log in to unmask]>

Rick Anderson said:

"If my library cancels its subscription, the publisher shrugs and goes
elsewhere."

That's my experience too. I recently told one of the big five we were
cancelling all of their titles. And I gave them cost per use analysis
to back it up. They were way out of line withs regards to their peers
in the publishing world.  I expected if they were a normal business
they would make SOME response,some answering offer,  but instead I
just get embarassed looks from their sales mgr. I suspect its going to
take a lot of libraries all over the world saying the same thing
before it will dawn on publishers that a response other than dead
silence is reasonable. Maybe, just maybe the next three years will get
the message across that its time to get over the one size fits all
stance.

I actually am optomistic about pricing in a way I haven't been in a
long time. There are simply too many libraries that have to do
something and ultimately its about where the money is. And there are
reasonable alternatives available, quick and cost effective that were
just hopes 20 years ago.

Chuck Hamaker
UNC Charlotte