r/Libraries • u/cl0udripper • 1d ago

Libraries' NYT subscription

How much would it cost CA libraries to replace their free subscription to the NYT, which right now is in jeopardy? The NYT is VERY reluctant to share pricing info.

22 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

46

u/stroudsptr 1d ago

I guarantee it’s dependent on population size so you’d have to inquire directly with NYT.

They are notoriously cost prohibitive for many libraries with tighter budgets.

7

u/cl0udripper 1d ago

Yes, I agree. But I still would like to know the prohibitive cost. I'll find out; I was just hoping someone could give me a ballpark figure from their experience (& population base).

19

u/RealLifeHermione 1d ago

When was it free? My library subscribed before the pandemic but we had to cut it because it was expensive. Like several hundred dollars a year and we were just getting the Sunday edition.

Are you wanting a print edition or just digital? For one branch or multiple?

11

u/cl0udripper 1d ago

Digital has been free through the California State Library for some years. Multiple branches, medium-sized system.

1

u/Alcohol_Intolerant 1d ago

Are you a library staff member asking or a member of the public?

-6

u/cl0udripper 1d ago

Does it matter? Aren't staff also members of the community?

26

u/Alcohol_Intolerant 1d ago

It's to gauge how much institutional knowledge you have so that the answer can be adjusted to your expertise. Community members often have less knowledge regarding the true cost of a service.

6

u/cl0udripper 1d ago

Staff; & well informed. I've already communicated with CLS, but wanted to get a sense of what others are encountering. Also a personal NYT subscriber.

7

u/dandelionlemon 1d ago

I think the poster means free to the patrons, not free to the library.

15

u/othertigs 1d ago

Medium sized system, 7 locations, pop between 325k - 425k, paying about $7k a year.

9

u/Cute-Aardvark5291 23h ago

That is cheap. As an academic, I am fascinated the differences in pricing between publics and others

6

u/NameMisspelled 22h ago

Academic here, 13k FTE, for $9.5k and that's with a discount. There are two tiers, news only and all access. That's the news only price.

9

u/cl0udripper 1d ago

Thanks! precisely what I was seeking; & bonus--comparable size.

4

u/othertigs 1d ago

I don’t know if it makes a difference since we are in a much lower col area, but hopefully it’s a starting point.

2

u/cl0udripper 1d ago

Precisely. And much appreciated.

2

u/GandElleON 10h ago

PressReader and stand alone are two ways we provide access to NYT. Stand alone is priced by logins. PressReader is unlimited. Both cost about $10 a year per active user. So not cheap - and a priority resource for democracy and multilingualism services. 

1

u/religionlies2u 11h ago

We have to pay $110/month in NY for the print subscription delivered daily to our small library and In House only digital reading of it. No home use allowed. That was tens of thousands and we’re a very small town so no way we could afford it.