Sweden goes one step beyond – Gavia Libraria

"The Loon’s crystal ball is cracked and crazed, but she called this one. Sweden’s Elsevierian Big Deal is no more. The interesting thing about Sweden’s announcement is its truculence. Unlike Finland and even Germany, this is not a salvo in a larger negotiation. Sweden is unilaterally cancelling its deal (look! the exercise of agency! is it not delightful?), full stop.

The Loon would give much to have been a fly on the wall in the Elsevier boardroom that first contemplated the necessity to approach Sweden as a supplicant if they ever wish another Swedish Big Deal. That is Sweden playing the Great Game to win. Elsevier’s apologists, to use the politest term the Loon can think of for them, are presently making much of the firm’s moves into various sorts of services, largely (the Loon thinks) to distract from the continuing revolt against its supremely profitable business model. The Loon does not have particularly high hopes for Elsevier’s service turn; services are both dispensable and economically substitutable in a way journals are not. This is not to say Elsevier cannot make money from services. They very well might. What they cannot do is make the kind of money they have made from journals, is the Loon’s best guess. The Loon dips her beak respectfully to Sweden, and wishes them well. One step beyond, and soon we will all be able to walk free."