Taylor & Francis had proposed that its latest deal with UK universities would only cover papers published in the last 20 years. Universities would be expected to buy a separate package if they wanted to access papers published before 1997. This 20-year span would ‘move forward’ every year, meaning that the archive would increase in size – and cost.
Over 100 UK universities signed a letter protesting the publisher’s proposal. to charge higher fees for access to research papers published before 1997.
We write as representatives of the academic library community within the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. We wish to state our opposition to the proposed change of contract for the licensing and access to the Taylor & Francis journal package presently available to universities and colleges.
Taylor and Francis has acknowledged this ‘feedback’ and has agreed not to introduce the ‘rolling wall’ pricing structure.
Sources: The Bookseller; THE.