A comparison of pricing strategies for bibliographical databases on CDROM and equivalent printed products
| Date | 01 March 1994 |
| Published date | 01 March 1994 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb045287 |
| Pages | 169-175 |
| Author | Jennifer Rowley,David Butcher |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
Article
A
comparison of
pricing strategies for
bibliographical databases
on CDROM and equivalent
printed products
Jennifer Rowley
Department
of
Business
and Management Studies,
Crewe+Alsager
Faculty,
The
Manchester Metropolitan
University,
Crewe
Campus,
Crewe,
Cheshire CW1
1DU,
UK
David Butcher
School of
Information
Studies,
University of Central
England,
Perry
Barr,
Birmingham
B42
2SU,
UK
Abstract: Library managers are often concerned to
assess the most
cost
effective means of access to
bibliographic
data.
This
article considers comparative
prices for bibliographic data on CDROM and in print
form.
In many
instances,
CDROM
offers
added value and
easier
access to
data,
but
the
relative cost is
important.
Library
managers need not only to compare prices but to consider
cost
effectiveness.
Differences between the nature
of
bibliographic data on CDROM and
in
a printed
bibliography or abstracting and
indexing
service,
and
the
relative complexities of pricing structures for bibliographic
data in both CDROM and print
form,
both hinder
comparisons. Varying policies on network pricing are an
added
complication when
assessing a CDROM service.
Some standardisation of aspects of the licensing
arrangements would be welcome.
1.
Introduction
Libraries acquire bibliographical data on CDROM, in printed
form or via access to online databases. Some bibliographical
data, specifically cataloguing data, will also be acquired via
networking agencies such as OCLC and BLCMP. Library
managers are often concerned to assess the most cost-effec-
tive means
of access to bibliographical databases on CDROM
and in print form. In many instances CDROM offers added
value and easier access to data, but the relative cost
is
impor-
tant. Library managers need not only
to
compare prices but to
consider cost effectiveness in terms of the nature of
the
prod-
uct that is selected. There are many differences between the
bibliographic data on CDROM and that in a printed bibliog-
raphy or an abstracting and indexing service which hinder
effective comparisons. Comparisons are also affected by the
relative complexities of pricing structures for bibliographic
data in both CDROM and print form.
2.
Comparing print and CDROM pricing strategies
It is difficult to compare the prices for many bibliographical
databases on CDROM with an equivalent printed product.
There are two underlying factors that hinder comparisons:
(1) The data offered may differ between the
two
products.
(2) Pricing strategies are based on different premises: so,
for example, a key issue in pricing strategies for
CDROM products is the licensing arrangements for.
multi-user access. Publishers do not concern them-
selves about multi-user use of
the
printed product.
Figure 1 overleaf illustrates the complexity of pricing
strategies for a single bibliographic database, the British Na-
tional Bibliography
(BNB).
The
figure
indicates why it can be
so difficult to make comparisons between the two types of
products.
The next two sections consider some of the factors that are
incorporated into the pricing strategies for printed and
CDROM products. These factors will influence price and
need to be taken
into
account when drawing any comparisons.
3.
Factors that affect the price of the printed product
An essential characteristic of bibliographic databases in any
format is that they must be updated at regular intervals, and
that the user needs to be notified of these updates. For most
The Electronic Library, Vol. 12, No. 3, June 1994 169
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