Longitudinal Study of Scientific Journal Prices in a Research Library

Abstract: The investigators conducted a benchmark longitudinal study of scientific journal prices fora land-grant research university to study the determinants of price increases over time. The study covered the period from 1967 to 1987, and included journal titles from a variety of publishers, disciplines, and countries. Information was collected about many factors that could influence serial prices. It was determined that inflation and greater journal length explained most of the increase in journal prices. However, it was also found that prices of journals from commercial publishers increased much more rapidly than those from nonprofit publishers over the study period.