Assessing the Value of Transformative Agreements: An Automated Approach to Estimating Article Processing Charge (APC) Discounts

Abstract

Transformative Agreements (TAs) aim to transition publishers from traditional subscription models to read-publish models that promote open access publishing through discounted or waived Article Processing Charges (APCs).

As academic libraries increasingly adopt TAs with publishers, evaluating the financial impact of these agreements on libraries (and the researchers they support) remains a complex task.

This presentation will demonstrate an approach to automating the estimation of APC discounts associated with TAs at a large research-intensive university.

Utilizing the free OpenAlex API, the presenters developed a programmatic approach to identifying discount-eligible publications, and the APC list prices for the journals in which they appeared. By co-ordinating this data with the specific discounts associated with the university’s TAs, we were able to estimate the total potential savings these agreements provided to the university’s research community.

By leveraging computational notebooks for code development (Jupyter), we automated the process of data extraction and analysis and created a clearly documented approach for assessing the value of the university’s TAs moving forward.

Attendees will learn how we used the OpenAlex API to retrieve APC data and how we applied discount structures for the university’s multiple TAs. We will discuss challenges encountered, including data inconsistency, and the methods used to address these issues.

Ultimately, this automated approach will allow for ongoing assessment of the financial value of TAs, aiding in future decision-making for both the library and the university. Attendees will gain insight into how computational notebooks support automated data retrieval/analysis and will be left with a template for evaluating the TAs at their own institutions.