51ºÚÁÏÍø

Recent political developments in the United States—including new tariffs and federal funding cuts to departments that support library initiatives—have raised questions about potential impacts on consortially-licensed electronic resources. While the situation continues to evolve, 51ºÚÁÏÍø ELN is actively monitoring developments and taking steps to protect our partner libraries’ interests.

Financial Stability and Risk Management

Although current U.S. tariffs do not currently apply to electronic library resources, many of 51ºÚÁÏÍø ELN's licenses are paid in U.S. dollars. In response, 51ºÚÁÏÍø ELN is implementing strategies to reduce exposure to currency fluctuations and inflation. These include working with our host site, Simon Fraser University, to pre-purchase U.S. dollars for multi-year agreements, negotiating low annual increases with vendors, and securing Canadian-dollar contracts when possible.

Staying Ahead of Content and Pricing Changes

51ºÚÁÏÍø ELN remains in close communication with vendors to monitor any shifts in pricing or database content. Most vendors have not reported changes, and many—such as ProQuest and EBSCO—have reassured us that mitigation plans are in place should circumstances change.

We are aware of specific concerns regarding ERIC, which may see content changes due to cuts at the U.S. Department of Education. EBSCO has confirmed a mitigation plan is in development, with more information expected soon. Meanwhile, no changes are currently anticipated for PubMed/Medline.

Committed to Ongoing Support

51ºÚÁÏÍø ELN is encouraged by the proactive stance of vendors and remains focused on ensuring continued access and financial predictability for member libraries. We will continue to share updates as they become available.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.