Scholarly Communication and the Dilemma of Collective Action: Why Academic Journals Cost Too Much

Autor/in	Wenzler, John
Titel	Scholarly Communication and the Dilemma of Collective Action: Why Academic Journals Cost Too Much
Quelle	In: College & Research Libraries, 78 (2017) 2, S.183-200 (18 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0010-0870
DOI	10.5860/crl.78.2.183
Schlagwörter	Journal Articles; Academic Libraries; Electronic Libraries; Electronic Publishing; Costs; Cost Effectiveness; Shared Resources and Services; Outsourcing; Open Source Technology; Change Strategies; Online Vendors + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Journal article; Zeitschriftenaufsatz; College; Colleges; University; Universities; Libary; Libraries; Hochschule; Fachhochschule; Universität; Bibliothek; Hochschulbibliothek; Digitale Bibliothek; Elektronische Bibliothek; Elektronisches Publizieren; Cost; Kosten; Kosten-Nutzen-Analyse; Kosten-Nutzen-Denken; Gemeinwirtschaft; Lösungsstrategie; Online-Angebot
Abstract	Why has the rise of the Internet--which drastically reduces the cost of distributing information--coincided with drastic increases in the prices that academic libraries pay for access to scholarly journals? This study argues that libraries are trapped in a collective action dilemma as defined by economist Mancur Olson in "The Logic of Collective Action: Public Goods and the Theory of Groups." To truly reduce their costs, librarians would have to build a shared online collection of scholarly resources jointly managed by the academic community as a whole, but individual academic institutions lack the private incentives necessary to invest in a shared collection. Thus, the management of online scholarly journals has been largely outsourced to publishers who have developed monopoly powers that allow them to increase subscription prices faster than the rate of inflation. Many librarians consider the open access movement the best response to increased subscription costs, but the current strategies employed to achieve open access also are undermined by collective action dilemmas. In conclusion, some alternative strategies are proposed. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Association of College and Research Libraries. 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611. e-mail: acrl@ala.org; Web site: http://crl.acrl.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01