After three years of planning, we've started implementing a new arXiv Membership Mode in January 2013. We are pleased to report that we currently have 173 members representing 22 countries. [link to new membership page]
To help with arxiv's support and governance, the membership program aims to engage libraries and research laboratories worldwide that represent arXiv's heaviest institutional users. Each member institution pledges a five-year initial funding commitment to support arXiv. arXiv's sustainability plan is founded on and presents a business model for generating revenues. Cornell University Library (CUL), the Simons Foundation, and a global collective of institutional members support arXiv financially. The financial model for 2013-2017 entails three sources of revenues:
- CUL provides a cash subsidy of $75,000 per year in support of arXiv's operational costs and an in-kind contribution of all indirect costs, which currently represents 37% of total operating expenses.
- The Simons Foundation contributes $50,000 per year in recognition of CUL's stewardship of arXiv. In addition, the Foundation matches $300,000 per year of the funds generated through arXiv membership fees.
- Each member institution pledges a five-year funding commitment to support arXiv. Based on institutional usage ranking, the annual fees are set in four tiers from $1,500-$3,000. In 2013, Cornell raises $315,000 per year through membership fees from 173 institutions.
We are grateful for Simons Foundation's support. The gift aims to encourage long-term community support by lowering arXiv membership fees, making participation affordable to a broader range of institutions. This support helps ensure that the ultimate responsibility for sustaining arXiv remains with the research communities and institutors that benefit from the service most directly.
An integral part of our sustainability planning process has been assessing the technologies, standards, services, and policies that constitute arXiv. The sustainability of arXiv also depends on enabling interoperability and creating efficiencies among repositories with related and complementary content to reduce duplicate efforts. 2013 has been a transition year for arXiv including adding new staff and exploring new organizational models. Here are some of our key accomplishments and areas that are work-in-progress: