RE: Usage-based pricing, a view

[Jan Velterop <jan@biomedcentral.com>]

Given that there is a value (and therefore cost) to 'availability' of the
material and in view of the fixed costs element, a realistic system we
might see developing is a basic charge (for availability) plus a per item
charge for usage (not dissimilar to the phone bill, at least here in the
UK).

One of the dangers of usage-based pricing is this: perceived potential
popularity of an article may become an element in the decision whether to
publish it or not, as publishers will lay pressure on peer-reviewers to
have an opinion on expected usage. Even possibly keep records of
peer-reviewers 'performance' in that regard. Not very good for the idea of
publishing on the basis of scientific merit alone, which surely is what
the scientific community requires.

I agree with David Goodman. Better to avoid usage-based charging
altogether, publish purely on scientific merit, and have (input-paid) open
access, with subsequent universal availability and unlimited usage at no
further cost.

Jan Velterop

> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Goodman [mailto:David.Goodman@liu.edu]
> Sent: 12 September 2003 23:52
> To: liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu; liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
> Subject: RE: Usage-based pricing, a view
> 
> Volatility is use certainly exists for lower used journals. The solution
> is for this material not to be published at the current commercial (or
> non-commercial) rates, but available on an open archive. Then all could
> afford it.
>  
> The material in high use,. where one would expect the volatility to be
> much less, will remain appropriate for commercial (and non-commercial)
> journals, as well as for the open archive. People will still want it in
> journal format, and thus this will both permit the continued existence of
> the publishers, and affordable access by all.
>  
> Together, these also deals with the problems of new universities, less
> developed countries, independent researchers, fields with small numbers of
> potential users, and all the other dilemmas of the past.
>  
> David Goodman
> dgoodman@liu.edu