Publishing fees, library subscriptions take funds that could be used elsewhere: Editorial

In a recent article, journalist Chris Arsenault discusses the challenges that universities face as they attempt to complete medical research and navigate the expenses of academic publishing. Arsenault reports that a typical Canadian university library spends three-quarters of its new materials budget on journal subscriptions, and the cost of accessing these journals has risen over 400% in the last two decades. “[C]ontent comes to those publishers ready-made on the backs of research and research funding,” said Canadian Association of Research Libraries executive director Susan Haigh, who noted that libraries must then draw on institutional funds to buy access to these journals. The article highlights the new Peer Premier initiative launched by the University of Guelph and discusses some of the barriers postsecondary institutions face when trying to change the publishing industry.