ACQNET v2n082 (August 31, 1992) URL = http://www.infomotions.com/serials/acqnet/acq-v2n082 ISSN: 1057-5308 *************** ACQNET, Vol. 2, No. 82, August 31, 1992 ======================================= (1) FROM: Ann Okerson SUBJECT: Co-publishing, Part 1 of 2 (162 lines) (1) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 27 Aug 92 22:29:31 EDT From: Ann Okerson (ARL) Subject: Co-publishing, Part 1 of 2 [This item is reprinted from an American Association of University Presses list to stimulate discussion on this topic. It is too long for one ACQNET and will be completed in the next issue (ACQNET 2:83). The AAUP list, I am told, is closed and I since I do not have its address I cannot refer you to it. I would prefer that any responses or comments be made through ACQNET rather than directly to Ann, as the authors of the letter below suggest. I will log all responses and forward the logs to Ann for distribution to the AAUP list. -- C.] We are members of a Bitnet discussion list devoted to matters of interest to university presses. Ann Okerson recommended that we permit her to post the following transcript of a discussion regarding library purchases of British editions to a few library- oriented lists, to stimulate discussion by some collection development and acquisition librarians. For some background, and to provide a context for the "raw" discussion transcript, here are a few points to consider: Copublications (copubs) in the most general sense are books that are published with the imprint of two or more publishers, each holding distribution rights in a separate sales territory. For example, a monograph published by ABC press in London might also be published (under contract) by XYZ university press in the United States. According to the terms of a typical copublication contract, the XYZ press would have the exclusive right to sell their edition in a limited territory (e.g., North America), and the ABC press would have exclusive rights to sell elsewhere in the world. The advantage to the author and the potential purchasers is that the book is more widely available and better promoted in the individual territories. Also, since each publisher is generally free to set prices independently under a typical copublishing contract, it might cost a purchaser less to buy the "local" publisher's edition rather than import the other edition. However, since most copublishing contracts stipulate exclusivity of sales territory, a purchaser *should* only be able to buy the "local" edition. Since typically the book is reproduced from the same typesetting image (and sometimes all of the books in both editions are manufactured in one location, using identical materials and production standards), there should be no advantage to acquiring an edition out of its territory, other than possibly price. Yet, we have seen evidence that it is not uncommon for U.S. academic libraries to purchase (for example) British editions of books that are also available in U.S. editions, often at a lower price. Therefore, we wonder: 1. Are librarians aware that they sometimes purchase non-U.S. editions in violation of contractual sales territory agreements between the participating publishers? 2. Do academic libraries have formal policies about acquiring copublished books? (We know that at least some do.) 3. In cases where acquisitions librarians know about both editions, what factors cause them to select a non-U.S. edition over a virtually identical U.S. edition? 4. What can university presses do to make librarians more aware of the availability of their copublished editions? Finally, we would like to clarify that some of the discussion reproduced below is intended to be facetious (such as the brief mention of a joint lawsuit a la Texaco and Kinkos). We welcome responses, comments, questions, or ideas from the library community about this issue. Please send all messages to Ann Okerson [ann@cni.org], who will then post a compilation of your responses on the AAUP list. {signed} Susan Lewis (SXL116@psuvm.psu.edu) C. David Perry (carlos@ecsvax.bitnet) Timothy Clancy (clancy@a1.relay.upenn.edu) ------TRANSCRIPT OF MESSAGES FOLLOWS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER ----- Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 From: "C. David Perry" (Univ. North Carolina Press) Subject: American library ordering of co-pub books Ah, the wonders of Internet. Acting on a tip from Sue Lewis, I checked the catalogs of several large university library systems. If the information in their on-line catalogs is correct, it appears that they are buying British editions of books we have imported as co-pubs. Practices vary. Some libraries buy ours; some buy British; some buy both. My marketing manager tells me that this sort of thing is very hard to control because library jobbers are not strict respecters of sales restrictions. And that it works both ways: US wholesalers think nothing of selling into restricted territories of our co-pub partners. My question for you all: Am I noticing something new here or something everyone knows already? Should I be bent out of shape about it or relax? David Perry (UNC Press) Ps. In talking with some librarian friends, I found some confusion about what "co-pub" meant. And some scholars too apparently feel that the British "edition" of a British work is preferable to the American "edition." ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** Date: Fri, 7 Aug 1992 From: Timothy Clancy (U. Penn. Press) Subject: Library Purchases of Co-pubs David Perry of UNC Press raised a question about British editions of copublished works being purchased by U.S. libraries, despite the U.S. publisher's right of exclusive sales territory. At U Penn Press, we have noticed the same phenomenon over recent years and also found it annoying. We went so far as to write to one of the British publishers involved (Polity) to inquire/protest. We received a fairly predictable response that they do not have any measure of control over the wholesalers who are selling to libraries. In my view, this problem is limited enough to be an irritant rather than a serious encroachment. (For all we know, some non-U.S. libraries may import a few U.S. editions of books rather than purchase the British counterparts. I know... not bloody likely.) I also doubt that the U.S. acquisitions librarians are doing this intentionally -- especially since the U.S. edition is often going to be more affordable than importing the British edition! There are probably two contributing factors: 1) The collection development librarian who selects the title acquires the first edition s/he encounters, without checking to see if there is a U.S. edition, 2) The collection development librarian is responding to a faculty request, and the faculty member is only aware of the British edition or has a strong preference or prejudice in favor of the British edition. Either way, the wholesaler is a bit too eager to be obliging in providing an edition outside of the legal territory. Tim Clancy (U Penn Press) ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** Date: Fri, 7 Aug 1992 From: "C. David Perry" (Univ North Carolina Press) Subject: Re: Library Purchases of Co-pubs I ran a search through OCLC of North American holdings of books that we had bought as imports from two British publishers. For the three books that I searched, sales of the British edition made up 11 percent, 13 percent and 18 percent, respectively, of total North American library sales. I can't tell if this is an irritant or something that needs more concerted attention on our part. David Perry UNC Press ... Continued in ACQNET 2:83 ******* END OF FILE ****** ACQNET, Vol. 2, No. 82 ****** END OF FILE *******