Is it possible that the cost of supporting SCOAP3 for an individual library will increase over time, as other libraries are forced to withdraw due to budget limitations?
The risk of the cost of supporting the consortium increasing is analogous to the risk of subscription cost increases. It’s true that the commitment from libraries must be met, upon the Memorandum of Understanding, even though some libraries withdraw. If too many libraries withdraw, SCOAP3 will be discontinued and an orderly return to the subscription model organized. However, it is as likely that the cost of supporting the consortium will decrease in this case. If the projected national contribution is assembled and then additional libraries join, the cost for individual libraries will go down. If implemented, SCOAP3 will also provide data by institution that would offer significant weight in local budget negotiations.
