Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

University Libraries at Virginia Tech Joins Virginia Research Libraries in Endorsing MIT Framework for Publisher Contracts

  • 11/04/19

BLACKSBURG, VA – University Libraries at Virginia Tech has joined its fellow Virginia research libraries at University of Virginia, James Madison University, George Mason University, College of William and Mary, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Old Dominion University, in endorsing MIT's framework for publisher contracts.

As this Virginia Research Libraries (VRL) consortium moves toward 2021 contract negotiations with Elsevier, the largest STEM academic publisher, VRL will work as a team to be mindful stewards of state funds and ensure research is publicly available to advance knowledge for the benefit of our global society.

Over the past 30 years, the cost of journal subscriptions has increased 500 percent, far outpacing libraries’ annual budget increases.

Much of the research conducted at public universities and published in expensive subscription-based scholarly journals is funded by tax dollars—in the form of faculty salaries and federally funded grants. Research is produced for the public good, but it is not always available to the general public who paid for it. This is where open access or public access to research will change the traditional landscape of publishing research.

In 2021, representatives from University Libraries at Virginia Tech, along with its VRL consortium colleagues, will be at the negotiating table with Elsevier. The universities will be discussing the unsustainable cost of accessing its academic journals and options to make Virginia universities’ research more accessible to the public that paid for it.

During the fall and spring semesters, University Libraries Dean Tyler Walters is meeting with faculty groups across campus to discuss these issues and gather feedback.

For more information surrounding this issue and Virginia's public research libraries’ move toward negotiations, visit the University Libraries’ Access Matters webpage.

Featured

  • Minnesota Middle School Finishes $23.5M Addition and Modernization

    Highland Park Middle School in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $23.5-million addition and remodel project, according to a news release. Saint Paul Public Schools partnered with ATS&R Planners, Architects & Engineers for its design and Kraus-Anderson for its construction.

  • New Arizona Fine Arts School Reaches Construction Milestone

    Construction of the new Hilltop School for the Arts and Theater in Litchfield Park, Ariz., recently hit a significant milestone, according to a news release. The Agua Fria High School District held a beam-signing ceremony to celebrate the building’s topping out, or the placement of its last structural beam.

  • Hawaii Elementary School Breaks Ground on New Classroom Building

    Kealakehe Elementary School in Kailua, Hawaii, recently began construction on a new, $16-million classroom building for its campus, according to a news release. The 13,000-square-foot building will stand two stories and connect the existing upper and lower campuses.

  • LSU Breaks Ground on $200M Residential Project

    Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., recently broke ground on a new residential complex, according to university news. The South Quad residential project will consist of two buildings and add a total of 1,266 beds for freshmen students. The development comes with a price tag of $200 million, and it’s scheduled to open to students in fall 2027.