Inside a 2016 Big Deal Negotiation...

Dramatis Personae: 

• A Sales Representative from STM Corporation
• An Acquisitions Librarian at Prestige University.

STM Corp Sales Rep: It's so nice to see you! We have some exciting news about your Big Deal renewal contract!

PU Acquisitions Librarian: Actually, I'm afraid we have some bad news for you. The Acquisitions Committee has had to make some cutbacks...

Sales Rep: I'm sorry to hear that. In fact, we also have some disturbing data to show you.

Librarian: We've been studying our usage data, and STM Corp's journals aren't seeing the usage we'd expected.

Sales Rep: Funny you should mention that, because STM Corp's Big Deal service has implemented a new "Total Information Awareness (TIA)" system that will answer all your usage questions. The TIA system monitors usage of our articles however they are acquired, and pinpoints the users, whoever and where ever they are. Our customers have been wanting this information for years, and now we can provide it.

Librarian: Now that's interesting. We've been discussing whether that sort of data could improve our services, but as librarians we need to respect the privacy of our users.

Sales Rep: Of course! And as publishers, we need to protect our services from unauthorized access and piracy.

Librarian: ... and our license agreements oblige us to respond to those concerns.

Sales Rep: I'm so glad you understand! But the TIA has exposed some disturbing information about journal usage on your campus.

Librarian: Yes, usage is dropping, That's what we wanted to discuss with you.

Sales Rep: Actually, total usage is increasing. It's just licensed usage that's dropping. Illicit usage is going through the roof!

Librarian: What do you mean?

Sales Rep: Have you heard of a website called Sci-Hub?

Librarian: [suppressing smile] Why yes...

Sales Rep: It seems that students and faculty on your campus have been accessing our articles via Sci-Hub quite a lot, and have been uploading...

Librarian: [starting to worry] We would never condone that! Using articles from Sci-Hub is likely copyright infringement in our jurisdiction. And uploading articles would be a violation of our campus policies!

Sales Rep: Exactly! Which is why we wanted you to see this data.

Librarian: [scanning several pages] But.. but this is a list of hundreds of our students and faculty, including some of our most prominent scientists!

Sales Rep: [grinning] ... each of them potentially facing hundreds of thousands of dollars of statutory damages for copyright infringement. Even career-ending litigation. It's such a blessing for you that we would never pursue legal actions that would hurt a good customer like Prestige U. Now about your renewal...

Librarian: Where did this list come from?

Sales Rep: As I said before, STM Corp's "Total Information Awareness" system monitors usage of our articles and pinpoints the users. You said before you had some bad news for us?

Librarian: Umm... we need to make some cutbacks.

Sales Rep: [smug] Well, then you'll be happy to know that we're limiting your big deal price to just a 19% increase over last time.

Librarian: [non-gendered expression of profound despair] ... and our Dean who's been using Sci-Hub?

Sales Rep: Sci-Hub? never heard of it.

Librarian: [resigned] OK, send us the invoice.

[Everything in this drama is fictitious except Sci-Hub and TIA. more next time.]