THE OPEN ACCESS WARS

TRLN Annual MeetingJuly 13, 2012

Skirmishes

Elsevier boycott RWA FRPAA and White House initiative Gold versus Green

Publish contracts The Finch Report (UK)

The Cost of Knowledge

Scholars pledge to boycott Elsevier As writers, editors and peer-reviewers 12,198 signers (as of 7/5/2012)

Complaints: prices, bundling & support for RWA, SOPA

Further steps: New OA mathematics journal (Tim Gowers) IMU looking at model publication contract for

members.

RWA Wanted to reverse NIH

public access mandate Prevent similar policies

@ federal research funders.

Elsevier withdrew support in light of boycott.

House sponsors withdrew bill within 2 hours.• Who is making our laws?

Expanding public access FRPAA would expand NIH mandate to a

dozen more federal agencies that fund research. Currently 34 sponsors in House, bipartisan.

White House also considering action RFIs in January “We the People” petition got

over 25,000 signers in 2 weeks. Still listening for a

response.

Green OA

Self-archiving is goal of many faculty authors and all campus OA policies Pub. contracts being revised to making self-

archiving more confusing & difficult. ACS v. Elsevier Academic freedom?

Gold OA Usually means “author-pays”

But many gold OA journals do not change APCs eLife

When publishers seem accepting of OA, they mean author-side fee support.

Finch report

Issued in June & quickly endorsed by publishers groups in UK.

Encourages embrace of transition to OA. Recommends funding for APCs (by

universities – COPE?). Green recommendations focus on protecting

publishers. Wants funders, universities & publishers to

negotiate, work together. Counsels caution re. shortened embargo

periods.