SCONUL alongside other library and HE organisations have called on Wiley to reinstate permanently over 1350 ebooks it has recently cut from the Academic Complete platform. The Wiley titles, many of which are high-use and feature on student reading lists, will after June only be available for libraries to acquire via expensive annual subscription models priced on a per student basis. This will result in significant cost increases and not reflect actual use or the how courses are taught whereby students need access to key materials for a time limited period. 

The joint statement is made by

• Advanced Procurement for Universities & Colleges (APUC)
• British Universities Finance Directors Group (BUFDG)
• Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP)
• #ebooksSOS campaign
• Jisc
• National Acquisitions Group (NAG)
• Research Libraries UK (RLUK)
• SCONUL (Society of College, National and University Libraries)
• SUPC

“This is a retrograde move by a major publisher and shows a failure to listen and understand the impact on libraries and their users of these out-of-date business practices which prevent equality of access.” said Libby Homer, Co-Chair of SCONUL and Director of Student and Library Services at Anglia Ruskin University. “Libraries are not in a position to pay significant cost increases and we expect this to backfire.”

These cuts are part of a pattern of failure by e-book and e-textbook publishers to provide stable and affordable access to key titles and has been the subject of a long-running campaign by the sector as set out in the previous Joint Statement.