To Publish and Perish Influencing the scholarly publishing
To Publish and Perish: Influencing the scholarly publishing environment Paul Kobulnicky Director of Libraries University of Connecticut Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
A Word or Two on “Ecosystems” • Ecosystems are complex systems and • Complex systems defy simple solutions • You cannot change a complex organism, you can only disturb it • Growth is the goal until it is the problem • Stability, like riding a bicycle, is a product of dynamics Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
A recommended reading in systems: Jervis, Robert, System effects : complexity in political and social life. Princeton University Press, c 1997. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Publish ___ Perish From “OR” to “AND” • Policy Perspectives Vol. 7, #4 www. irhe. upenn. edu/pp • The road from “or” to “and” has a direct link – Faculty rewards – Free goods • Pressure to publish is greater than the pressure to consume. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Solutions tied to drivers • From Policy Perspectives – End the preoccupation with numbers. – Be smart shoppers. – Get a handle on property rights. – Invest in electronic forms of scholarly communications. – De-couple publication and faculty evaluation. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
A few more. . . • Create competition. – Same product for less $ – Different and better and cheaper. • Create choice for use of $ – Money is all green (in the US). – Scholarly information competes with other higher education investments. • Drive the problem back to the scholars Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Solutions must adhere to the rules of complex situations. • One set of rules for all players • All the players know and obey all rules – no hidden handcuffs • Everyone plays all their cards … no reneging • Everyone acts in their enlightened selfinterest Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Introducing one solution that follows these precepts: Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
SPARC • • The Scholarly Publishing & Academic Resources Coalition An initiative of the Association of Research Libraries Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
The Problem ARL Trends (1986 -97) • Serials • High & fast rising – Unit cost +169% – Expenditure subscription prices. – Titles purchased • Insufficient competition, especially • Monographs – Unit cost +62% in STM publishing. – Expenditure – Titles purchased • Faculty reward system • CPI +46% supports status quo. • Health care Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu +142% -6% +30% -14% +84%
The Problem: High on the feeding chain Problem acute among highest price STM journals ($5, 000 - $20, 000 annually) • Often a high cost per use. • Absorb a large share of total spending. • High dollar impact even when modest rate of increase. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Past Library Strategies • Journal cancellations & reduced monograph acquisitions. • Improved document delivery models. • Cooperative collection development. • Site licensing of electronic information. • Consortial licensing of electronic information. The underlying problem persists. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Other Options • • De-couple peer-review & publication. Return of copyright to academe. Modify the academic reward structure. Limit number of articles considered for promotion & tenure. These are long-term solutions facing significant cultural barriers. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
The SPARC Option Introduce competition in publishing phase of process. How? • Partner with shared-value publishers to introduce or support alternatives to current outlets for research. • Focus on STM where problem is greatest. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Why Now? • Dependence on high profits makes traditional commercial players vulnerable. • Changes in technology have reduced barriers to competitive entry. • Growing author dissatisfaction with research dissemination & use restrictions. • Buyer resistance to high prices. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
About SPARC • Conceived & initiated by the Association of Research Libraries in 1997. • Membership open to the international academic & research library community. • A “broker, ” working with publishing partners & for the interests of the scholarly community. SPARC is not a publisher. • A meeting ground for publishers & librarians. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
What’s In It for Libraries? A competitive market in scholarly journal publishing. Benefits of competition: • • Better prices Better products Better terms Better libraries. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
What’s In It for Publisher. Partners? • Reduced market entry risk, faster break-even – Purchase by SPARC members. – Impact of SPARC support on broader market acceptance. – Exposure in SPARC advertising, promotion & publicity. • Access to SPARC- member contacts to recruit authors & editors. SPARC endorsed by: • Association of American Universities • Association of American University Presses • Association of College & Research Libraries • Big 12 Provosts • Canadian Association of Research Libraries • National Association of State Universities & Land Grant Colleges Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Potential Publisher-Partners • • • Scholarly & professional societies University presses & universities Government agencies Independent commercial publishers Information utilities & technology-based entities Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Partnership Objectives Support launch of new journals that: • • • challenge specific existing high-price journals. offer high-quality alternatives for authors. offer libraries substantially reduced costs. exploit technology developments. offer usage policies that are consistent with the needs of libraries and authors. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Initial Partnerships American Chemical Society • 3 journals over 3 years • Organic Letters coming June 1999 – Print & electronic – Priced at 30% of Tetrahedron Letters • SPARC-ACS study of authors’ needs for personal Website posting & other secondary uses planned Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Initial Partnerships Royal Society of Chemistry • 3 journals over 3 years Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Initial Partnerships Royal Society of Chemistry • 3 journals over 3 years • Phys. Chem. Comm available now – Refereed rapid communication journal – Electronic only (RSC Web & aggregators) – HTML text with supplementary materials in other formats – Perpetual access to content purchased – www. rsc. org/physcc Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Royal Society of Chemistry RSC price per article target is 0. 77 pounds. This is expressed above in US$ at current conversion rates. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Initial Partnerships Evolutionary Ecology Research • Launched by former editor & editorial board of a Wolters Kluwer title. • $290 per year in print plus $15 for Web access. Personal subns for faculty at subscribing institutions at marginal cost. • 8 issues (1000 pages) per year. • Authors own copyright. • www. evolutionary-ecology. com Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
SPARC Membership • • 114 members Up 50% since June 14 members from beyond ARL ranks Expanding market opportunity for publishing partners. • Support needed from health science libraries to provide market for alternatives to highprice medical titles. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Affiliates Key organizational links also carry the message: • • ACRL CARL (Canada) SCONUL (UK & Ireland) Conference of Directors of Research Libraries (Denmark) Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Affiliations Other organizational links sought. . . Association of Academic Health Science Libraries n LIBER n National library groups in northern Europe. . . to expand SPARC’s reach in the health science & international communities. n Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
SPARC Membership Academic & research libraries: • Full Member $5, 000 dues + $7, 500 purchase commitment. • Consortium Member Dues & purchase commitment each 0. 2% of materials budget of institutions that choose to participate. • Supporting Member Dues 0. 2% of materials budget; no purchase commitment. Associations & societies: • Affiliate Member $5000 annual contribution. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
The Big Questions • Does SPARC add to journal proliferation? • Will SPARC cause library costs to increase? • How will SPARC address the challenge of drawing authors to new journals? Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Answers Does SPARC add to journal proliferation? No, quite the contrary. n SPARC encourages publishers to shift their investments. . . from creating new proliferating journals u to developing titles that battle for occupied content/market space. u Buyers with limited funds will usually pick one title. n SPARC now also helps existing alternatives compete for greater market share. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Answers Will SPARC cause library costs to increase? No, not unless we allow it. n n Alternative journals will reduce total costs when libraries are able to trim the high-price alternatives. Libraries, editors/authors & publishers must help “sell” these choices to faculty if dominant publishers’ stranglehold is to be broken. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Answers How will SPARC address the challenge of drawing authors to new journals? SPARC and its members will: n n n collaborate with partners that offer strong author ties (e. g. , societies) support superior outlets for research quickly deliver readers via their subscriptions stick with new journals, giving each a chance to realize financial viability promote SPARC philosophy & products on their campuses. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Conclusions SPARC is off to a strong start, already a formidable coalition n n Partnership dev’t spade work paying off Critical mass in membership, affiliations, endorsements provides viability & credibility Growing experience enables us to formulate & implement effective strategies Rising confidence that SPARC will provide an attractive return on investment. Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Become a SPARC Member Contact: Rick Johnson SPARC Enterprise Director 21 Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 E-mail: rick@arl. org Tel: 202 -296 -2296 Fax: 202 -872 -0884 Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
Visit the SPARC website www. arl. org/sparc Information Ecologies Kicky@uconnvm. uconn. edu
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