The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) University library members has recently released 2016-17 expenditure data for the subscriptions licensed through the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) consortium. Among other things, CRKN works on behalf of member institutions to leverage collective bargaining power when negotiating with library vendors for access to research materials – including databases and journals.
The publication of this data set demonstrates a clear commitment to transparency surrounding licensing expenditures for Canadian research libraries, something that CARL and member institutions have long advocated for. According to the CARL press release, “As publicly funded institutions, research libraries recognize that it is in the public’s interest that they provide maximum transparency about the costs and license information of the contractual arrangements for information resources and services into which they enter.”
Data on UBC expenditures through CRKN is included in the published data set and provides readers with some insights into the costs of UBC licensed resources. It is worth noting that UBC provides access to many more resources than those listed among the data set, but subscriptions are negotiated individually or with other consortia.
To see the data set and read the accompanying documentation refer to the links provided in the CARL press release.