An analysis of online database prices and a rationale for increasing the price of MEDLINE

The connect hour prices for use of 320 online databases up on seven major biblio‐graphic systems in February 1981 in the U.S. and Canada were analyzed. A distribution was run and all databases fell into five ranges with 65% in the medium‐low ($25–49) and medium ($50–74) ranges. Government databases were analyzed as a subset of the total, and National Library of Medicine databases were analyzed in more detail as a subset of govern‐ment online databases. Further analyses of database prices were done in terms of four new measures: (1) price per connect‐hour per record accessible online; (2) price per connect‐hour per record searchable online; (3) number of records accessible per dollar per connect‐hour; and (4) number of records searchable per dollar per connect‐hour. Data are given in both real and constant dollars. Using these four measures, one can see that database size correlates extremely well with price. Reasons for increasing the price per connect hour for MEDLINE are given. They relate to the numerical analyses and to the responsibilities government database producers have to not‐for‐profit database producers.