The CSU Libraries, though the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries, completed negotiations with Elsevier on March 31, 2024.

Campus affiliates will have continued, uninterrupted access to journals and other Elsevier publications. Changes to the purchasing model will reduce the overall cost of Elsevier’s collection of academic journals.

This comes after Colorado State University Faculty Council passed a resolution in February to endorse the CSU Libraries’ licensing priorities.

In response to skyrocketing costs of academic resources, the Libraries’ licensing priorities emphasize sustainable pricing models, accessibility, open access and data privacy in licensed resources. These values align with the University’s mission, because they support information sharing that is the foundation of learning, teaching, research and extension.

The CSU Libraries negotiates licenses with vendors to provide access to critical databases and scholarly journals through the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries, a consortium of Colorado and Wyoming academic libraries.

The support of CSU faculty members will strengthen the Libraries’ position during negotiations and creates solidarity among the Libraries’ consortial partners.

Faculty at the University of Wyoming and the University of Colorado passed similar resolutions last December.

The Libraries’ contracts with the Big Five Publishers, academic publishers who control more than 50% of academic articles published, total about $5 million. The largest contract is with publishing giant Elsevier, which accounted for about $2 million annually under the previous 3-year contract. Values-driven negotiations will help ensure that the Libraries is responsibly stewarding funds in support of learning, research, and extension.