From: Ann Shumelda Okerson <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thu, Jul 19, 2018 at 10:26 PM

What do readers think of this provocative assertion by Joe Esposito?  The
German discussions are indeed highly visible, but folks who've been paying
attention over the last few years will have observed that various
negotiating groups have also made increasingly interesting and custom
arrangements with a number of the larger publishers.  DEAL has been
inspired by those, and potentially the DEAL arrangement should break
barriers for subsequent arrangements.

*****

"Elsevier last week stopped thousands of scientists in Germany from reading
its recent journal articles, as a row escalates over the cost of a
nationwide open-access agreement.

"The move comes just two weeks after researchers in Sweden lost access to
the most recent Elsevier research papers, when negotiations on its contract
broke down over the same issue.

"Negotiators on both sides in Germany now seem to be waiting for the other
to blink, says Joseph Esposito, a publishing consultant in New York City. The
highly public nature of the stand-off means that "any deal Elsevier does
with them becomes the de facto deal for the entire world," he adds."

[SNIP]

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-05754-1