RE: Springer Open Choice uptake affects 2011 journal pricing

["Tony McSean" <tmcsean@hollar.co.uk>]

Without wishing to join this argument, I would be interested in 
Bill's source for his statement "the vast majority of 
[subscription journals] also levy page and colour charges".  I 
find this surprising, and would be glad to see the evidence.

Tony

Tony McSean

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
[mailto:owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Bill Hooker
Sent: 26 June 2010 01:06
To: liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
Subject: Re: Springer Open Choice uptake affects 2011 journal pricing

Oh, that's nice.  So, shall we call subscription journals the 
"Pay and Pay and Pay Again" (PAPAPA) model, now?  For hybrid 
models, such a reasonable compromise so long as no one looks too 
closely at the double dipping, how about the "Pay Twice For 
Nothing" moniker?

Let's get two things straight about "pay or go away":

1. Subscription journals tell both authors AND readers to pay or
go away: not only do they charge for access, but the vast
majority of them also levy page and colour charges that can add
up to considerably more than most Gold OA fees -- excuse the self
link, I have some calculations here:

http://www.sennoma.net/main/archives/2009/06/authorside_fee_comparison_oa_v.
php

which indicate the average author-side fee levied by PAPAPA
journals is around $1100.  This figure is consistent with a brief
examination of a handful of journals and with the very small
number of official figures I have been able to find.  It surely
puts a one-time upfront Gold OA payment of, say, $1300 (PLoS ONE)
or $1470 (most BMC journals) in a different light.

2.Someone who wants to call Gold OA "Pay Or Go Away" had better
have some evidence of authors being turned away for want of the
ability to pay; I know of not one single case.  Both PLoS and BMC
have a waiver system, kept scrupulously separate from editorial
decision making, to ensure that no one who genuinely lacks the
necessary funds is actually told "pay or go away".  I wonder what
would happen if such authors asked a PAPAPA journal to waive
their page and colour charges?

Bill Hooker

Disclaimer: I am on the editorial boards of PLoS ONE and BMC
Research Notes; neither position is financially remunerated.