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If I understand correctly, some here are proposing that the publishers decrease their revenues by charging libraries substantially less than what their business people have determined are optimum prices.
Questions:
-- Who should the publisher take this money away from?
Authors?
Editors?
Stockholders? (good answer only if they pay dividends)
Executives? (easy answer, but these are publishing executives, not computer executives, so I doubt there is enough money for the purpose in that well).
-- Is it any different if the publisher is non-profit? A lot are. Should Harvard reduce financial aid to pay for this?
-- Does it matter if the government you are giving this financial gift to is in one of the world's richest countries?
-- Does it matter what kind of book it is?
My personal view is that charging suboptimal prices is only justifiable as part of the corporation's charitable giving. If on the board of directors, I would favor reduced prices to libraries in a few of the world's poorest nations. And I might favor reduced prices for medical journals, because of the social value of those publications. I certainly favor low prices for medical journals shipped to low income countries. But I'd be against charging western governments a suboptimal price for ordinary popular books.
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