Cost of Open Access Journals: Other Observations

[Michael Leach <leach@eps.harvard.edu>]

Dear Colleagues:

I have been following the Open Access cost discussions for the past few
weeks in detail, and I would like to chime in with a few comments and
observations.

First, I feel the "cost per article" to publish in an open access journal
should be variable, as many recent reports have shown (being anywhere
between $500 to $1500 US per article).  The cost will reflect many
factors: hiring costs for editorial and related human resources (more
expensive, say, in the United States, less expensive, say, in India);  
capital development costs (e.g. BioMedCentral may cost more because it
produces its own systems & software to track, referee, etc.; another
publisher may cost less because it uses BioMedCentral's software and
doesn't have to develop its own); value-added services (e.g. extensive
metadata attached to each article vs. no metadata; or support for
audio/visual digital objects); marketing costs (e.g. John Haynes/IOP
experience 'pump priming' NJP, or PLoS publicity and marketing campaign);  
among others.  No one pricing structure is "correct"--the factors are too
numerous.

Also, we should expect variability in OA pricing for other reasons.  Let
me use the analogy of car models (something I've done with colleagues in
person):  Do we expect to pay the same price for an Honda as we would a
Mercedes-Benz?  What is the difference between a Porsche and a Subaru?  
(Reputation, luxury items, value-added, safety features, prestige, etc.)
Are there not similar analogies in journal titles?  Which scientist
wouldn't want their paper in Science or Nature or some other highly
prestigious, high-impact title?  Wouldn't we (library/authors) pay more
for that "luxury"?

On a practical level, each library will have to determine the types of OA
journals it can afford (I'm speaking here of the institutional memberships
that PLoS, IOP, BioMedCentral & others offer).  The need for marketing
programs, evaluation tools and statistics (like those listed in my earlier
emails) may be needed to justify these membership expenses.  User needs
analysis of local communities will also be needed (something libraries
should be doing regularly, if they are to change and meet the needs of its
users/patrons).

Similarly, authors will have to ask themselves: Is it worth paying $1500
for my article to be in journal X, when another journal Y only charges
$500?  The answer may be 'yes' if the author perceives the X journal as
being more prestigious or "luxurious."

Fytton Rowland was reading my mind, as I, too, believe that certain open
access titles will likely have to charge some form of "submission"  
charge.  Again, this will likely be attached to the prestige of a given
title--so the author asks: Is it worth my submission charge if I may get
my paper published in journal X, as opposed to journal Y which does not
charge for submission?

The question for librarians is: Will submission fees be wrapped into the
license negotiation process with OA institutional memberships?  
Librarians will need to work with their patrons, OA publishers, and their
colleagues at other institutions (& within consortia)  to answer this
question.  We will learn by engaging and supporting the OA process as best
we can, sharing our resources to learn the answers.

Michael R. Leach
Harvard University
Physics Research Library & Kummel Library of Geological Sciences
617-495-2878 or -2029 (voice)
mrleach@fas.harvard.edu or leach@eps.harvard.edu