Open Access : "Electronic science: a license to print money". David Mort, Science makes money for Europe's information companies, Research Information, Winter 2003, pp. 13-14. (Not yet online but soon to be here.) A summary of the 2003 profits, margins, acquisitions, and shifts to electronic publication and bundling at the major journal publishers. In the TOC of this issue the editors plug the article with the line, "Electronic science: a license to print money". Excerpt: "[R]estructuring, cost-cutting programmes, and improved operating efficiencies should boost industry margins compared to last year." (PS: Despite the rosy forecast, this is pre-Paribas, pre-Citigroup, and pre-Investec. Unlike other recent financial analysts, Mort doesn't even mention open access, let alone try to take its progress into account.) [Open Access News]  9:05:17 PM   [Feedback ]  

Open Access : American Chemical Society president comments on rising costs of journals and open access. The January 5 issue of Chemical and Engineering News includes an introductory message from ACS president Charles P. Casey. Among other concerns for ACS and the chemical community, on pages 4-5, Casey comments on rising journal costs for libraries and the question of open access. He cites the comparative value of ACS journals in terms of price, pagination and impact factor. Regarding open access, Casey questions the stability of PLoS, implying that lack of economic viability will jeopardize archival status of these publications. He dismisses the Sabo bill, saying that requiring open access for government-funded research "would effectively remove copyright protection for ACS and other scientific journals" and would tilt influence "toward the open access model and would fatally damage publications of scientific societies." Casey's remedy would be "electronic journals from scientific societies ... made available at reasonable costs," and he urges the chemistry community to push commercial publishers towards reducing their prices, especially by reconsidering their contributions to such publications. (Source: The (sci-tech) Library Question) [Open Access News]  9:05:02 PM   [Feedback ]  

Libraries : NewspapersDirect Launches New Service For Libraries. Information Industry Notes (2 Items) IEEE IEEE Xplore Search Engine Upgraded IEEE Xplore is now using the Verity K2 Enterprise search technology. You can find a list of enhancements and changes here. -- Newspapers NewspaperDirect Launches New Serv [ResourceShelf]  9:03:24 PM   [Feedback ]  

Scholarly Communication : Open Access : SPARC Updates "Create Change" Brochure. Professsional Reading Shelf (3 Items) Libraries Full Text, Winter 2004 Issue of Threshold "Threshold: Exploring the Future of Education features articles focused on the theme of Libraries, Learning, and the Future, produced in partnership with the Amer [ResourceShelf]  5:47:44 PM   [Feedback ]  

Scholarly Communication : Open Access : New issue of Access is now online. This issue has news stories on BioOne, the new Malaysian digital library on Islam, the largest digital library in China, Oxford Scholarship Online, and half a dozen other recent initiatives. [Open Access News]  12:32:54 PM   [Feedback ]