1. A View from Academic Libraries
Working Together through Mergers and Acquisitions: Impacts and Best Practices for the Library Market
A View from Academic Libraries

2. Agenda for Today Highlight some benefits for publishers and libraries
Consider some negative aspects of mergers and acquisitions
Look at some current trends and best practices

3. Benefits of Mergers and Acquisitions
Stabilize publisher or vendor
Protect important titles and services
Maintain staffing
New cash flow
Provide technology and operational support
Protecting important titles, Sage often acquires titles, price goes up but the content and quality of the journal should be maintained or improved, drawback is they often push price up by huge percentage in first year.
John Elliot, VP for Collection Development, YBP, at UA in December, discussed positive impact for YBP and its customers after EBSCO acquisition. Technology, distribution, marketing

4. More Benefits of Mergers and Acquisitions
Opportunity to pursue new markets
Enhance marketing
Improve existing products and services
Ability to pursue emerging areas
Faster access to content
Vin Scalfani, Science and Engineering Library at UA, Royal Society acquired Merck Index. Better discoverability, tremendous value, integrates with other RSC products, Kept name, Merck Index, increased interest in product 3X the price but much better product now

5. Negative Impacts of Mergers and Acquisitions
Destabilize existing company
Loss of content
Reduction in service quality
Loss of favorite reps
Changes to existing licenses and agreements
YBP acquisition by EBSCO means that Baker & Taylor will no longer service academic institutions. There was an immediate impact on UA (graphic novels and children’s books). YBP will have to figure out a way to pick up this content.
Company name changes can be confusing, often times mergers are not well advertised to key customers, key content is lost, access issues ensue, license agreements may not be enforced

6. Current Trends with Mergers and Acquisitions
Decline in monograph and serial vendors
Expansion in services for existing vendors
Vendors become publishers
Vendors provide content management
Larger portion budget with one company

7. Current Trends with Mergers and Acquisitions
Larger publishers consume smaller publishers
Steep increases to subscription price
Profitability over quality
Impact: society publishers/university presses
Unsustainable pricing to force out competitors

8. Managing Acquisitions in a Changing Market
Be vigilant- keep watch on company performance
Prepayments are encouraged - so is insurance
*Support pricing and content models that benefit your organization, not the provider*
Actively collaborate with publishers/influence outcomes
Kim Maxwell, Electronic Resources Management Librarian, MIT at Acq Institute 2015, stressed importance of insurance for a large prepayments. Saved them when Swets closed.

9. Protect Your Organization and Influence Change
Charge one key position with knowing the market and monitoring changes
Seek out opportunities to have an impact on changes to content and services
Be clear to reps and company leadership regarding expectations
Work with teaching faculty to ensure your university is actively involved with content development (Sage Video) ASP

10. Plan for Today and Tomorrow
Carefully review license agreements after a merger or acquisition
Make sure content was not lost/ compare lists
Plan ahead by purchasing perpetual ownership - support Portico and similar initiatives

11. For Questions or Comments:
Michael A. Arthur
Head, Resource Acquisition and Discovery
University of Alabama Libraries
Tuscaloosa, AL