The University and College Union (UCU) has called on the government to ask the Competitions and Market Authority to review the academic e-book market to ensure that research and information is more affordable for staff, students and institutions.
In a letter to universities minister, Michelle Donelan, UCU General Secretary, Dr Jo Grady writes,
A few key players in academic e-book publishing monopolise the market and with a lack of competition or alternative options, universities are forced to either pay the extortionate prices, or not purchase the e-books at all – the latter being the choice many libraries have to pick as budgets won’t cover the often exorbitant cost.
and goes on to back #ebooksos in our call for an investigation
UCU is therefore asking you to contact the Competition and Markets Authority to ask them to undertake a review of the academic e-book market so that we can ensure that research, information and ideas are accessible to those enrolling in our universities.
This move by UCU is particularly important as the membership of UCU are often the individuals producing the academic content that big publishers are then blocking students from accessing.
