Details of the “big deals” struck by university libraries and academic publishers have now been published as part of the Big Deal Knowledge Base.
The database, launched yesterday by open-access advocacy group SPARC, includes thousands of pricing details on journal subscriptions as well as unredacted license agreements.
“Like many industries (think of buying a car), when only one side has a detailed understanding of line item costs and what constitutes market rate, striking a fair deal can be very challenging,” a press release from SPARC said.
“This database attempts to put libraries on a more level playing field with vendors by detailing what peer institutions have paid for journal subscription packages.”
