WORKING TOGETHER THROUGH
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS:
IMPACTS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR
THE LIBRARY MARKET
A VIEW FROM ACADEMIC LIBRARIES
Agenda for Today
● Highlight some benefits for publishers and libraries
● Consider some negative aspects of mergers and
acquisitions
● Look at some current trends and best practices
Benefits of Mergers and Acquisitions
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Stabilize publisher or vendor
Protect important titles and services
Maintain staffing
New cash flow
Provide technology and operational support
More Benefits of Mergers and Acquisitions
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Opportunity to pursue new markets
Enhance marketing
Improve existing products and services
Ability to pursue emerging areas
Faster access to content
Negative Impacts of Mergers and Acquisitions
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Destabilize existing company
Loss of content
Reduction in service quality
Loss of favorite reps
Changes to existing licenses and agreements
Current Trends with Mergers and Acquisitions
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Decline in monograph and serial vendors
Expansion in services for existing vendors
Vendors become publishers
Vendors provide content management
Larger portion budget with one company
Current Trends with Mergers and Acquisitions
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Larger publishers consume smaller publishers
Steep increases to subscription price
Profitability over quality
Impact: society publishers/university presses
Unsustainable pricing to force out competitors
Managing Acquisitions in a Changing Market
● Be vigilant- keep watch on company performance
● Prepayments are encouraged - so is insurance
● *Support pricing and content models that benefit your
organization, not the provider*
● Actively collaborate with publishers/influence
outcomes
Protect Your Organization and Influence Change
● Charge one key position with knowing the market and
monitoring changes
● Seek out opportunities to have an impact on changes
to content and services
● Be clear to reps and company leadership regarding
expectations
Plan for Today and Tomorrow
● Carefully review license agreements after a merger
or acquisition
● Make sure content was not lost/ compare lists
● Plan ahead by purchasing perpetual ownership support Portico and similar initiatives
For Questions or Comments:
Michael A. Arthur
Head, Resource Acquisition and Discovery
University of Alabama Libraries
Tuscaloosa, AL
205-348-1493
[email protected]