Since January 1st over 60 German universities and research institutionsare boycotting Elsevier. This means that German libraries do not have fulltext access to scientific journals published by Elsevier. Background is that Elsevier’s businessmodells are not transparent nor do they provide open access to content in the extent requored by the univeristies and research institutions. Pricing is also an issue. The aim is to relieve the pressure on acquistion budgets and at improving access to scientific literature in a broad and sustainable way according to the statement made by Göttingen University – one of the participants in this boycott.
Libraries are aware of the difficult situation facing researchers, teachers and students. However, the libraries mean they are not going to give in because they have a greated possibility to influence the agreement together. Researchers should contact the library to get access to articles they need. Libraries are prepared to get them in other ways and at no cost to the reseachers.
According to Science negotiations will start in the begining of the year.
Pieta Eklund