Open Letter to the Chronicle of Higher Education from the Canadian Research Knowledge Network

"I was dismayed by your article in the July 4, 2010 Chronicle of Higher Education regarding the University of Prince Edward Island and Web of Science....The Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) has held a national Web of Science license agreement with Thomson Reuters since 2001. CRKN recently renewed this license for the 2010-2012 term, and sixty-three Canadian universities - 85% of CRKN’s membership - currently participate. It was this national agreement from which UPEI withdrew as of January 1, 2010....As a result of [member-requested] unbundling, the former method of internal cost-sharing among members was no longer feasible....In short, UPEI’s cost increase in 2010 for Web of Science had nothing to do with Thomson Reuters, and everything to do with a difficult, sensitive, internal consortium decision...."