The SPIE initiative is very good news indeed, and we are grateful for some relief in the financial challenges that face us all - especially in light of increased pressures on our acquisitions budget and the rate of exchange on the American dollar still remaining higher than the Canadian dollar.

- Mary Ann Jameson
The University of Western Ontario

This is evidence that at least one publisher understands the challenges of financing acquisitions for libraries and how serious the issues are for libraries and publishers together. 0% increases are not enough for the extreme situation libraries face. We are in for a long hard time and as the ICOLC and NERL statements indicate it's time for a major reset of prices. Hopefully SPIE's decision will be an example to other publishers that it's now time to consider significant changes in their pricing models.

- Chuck Hamaker
University of North Carolina, Charlotte

Thank you very much and this will surely help in the discussions that we will have with our Management and the available budget for next year. It shows a pro-activeness that compares very favorably with that of some of your colleagues.

- Dr Frank Toolenaar
Philips Research

I do like SPIE! You are taking a sensible approach on pricing for the next subscription cycle. And you were great as we struggled with our subscription this last year. Thanks - Pat

- Patricia Hults
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Good to hear from you again especially when you have such great news for us! If only all publishers had SPIE's attitude.

- Yvonne Halland
CSIR Information Services, South Africa

SPIE ‘gets it’. Some publishers seem to better understand the severe economic situation most of us in the library world are in and are minimizing increases or freezing 2010 prices at 2009 levels. But to my knowledge, SPIE is the only publisher, sci-tech or otherwise, that is rolling back prices— not just by a percent or two, but by a full ten percent. By rolling back their Digital Library price by 10%, SPIE has saved our library money that I can in turn use to keep other subscriptions from being cut.

- Mel DeSart
University of Washington

We decided to introduce at CSIC Digital Collection (Spanish National Research Council) an institutional license for SPIE Digital Library in 2009, for ‘International Astronomy Year’. Now, when we have to plan 2010 renewals in a critical economic situation we really appreciate the SPIE statement about a 10% rollback in subscription prices. Certainly this is very good news for very bad times! BRAVO for SPIE! I hope other important publishers will follow.

- Agnès Ponsati Obiols
Unidad de Coordinación de Bibliotecas del CSIC (CSIC Libraries Coordination Unit)

I have often expressed the wish that publishers would use the savings inherent in digital distribution to try to sell their products at a lower cost to more customers. That way everyone benefits: publishers grow their income, more libraries can acquire the content they want, readers are able to access more information, and authors see their work more widely read and cited. I warmly welcome this initiative from SPIE.

- Terry Bucknell
University of Liverpool

Marybeth: this is wonderful and welcome news. As you no doubt know from the local press, UW is being hit particularly hard with the recent state budget cuts. SPIE's decision will make a real difference to us and we appreciate it. We have had some success with vendors and publishers freezing prices or holding to very low increases, but I believe you are the first to offer a serious decrease.

Thanks again, -Diane

- Diane Grover
University of Washington

Marybeth, thank you for taking charge and continuing to put scholarly not-for-profit content into the hands of scholars, particularly in these difficult financial times!

Thanks for your efforts on behalf of libraries and scholars. SPIE was our #1 most requested new resource last year and we were delighted to be able to license it for our faculty, students and staff.

- Eleanor Uhlinger
Dudley Knox Library, Naval Postgraduate School

I want to commend SPIE for taking this step. We received a 0% inflationary increase in our budget for 2009/2010 and I know that many other libraries are facing similar budget issues. This will ensure that our students and faculty can have continued access to this valuable resource.

- Shirley L. Bower
Rochester Institute of Technology