RE: Emerald responds to dual publication

["Hamaker, Chuck" <cahamake@email.uncc.edu>]

The uncovering of systematic article duplication by Emerald/MCB Press by
Philip Davis raises anew concerns about librarian's role in managing
scholarly information.

Journal inflation via unwarranted publication in journals intended for
original research is not new. Deana Astle and I explored the history of
this in "Journal publishing: Pricing and structural issues in the 1930s
and the 1980s" (ADVANCES IN SERIALS MANAGEMENT, vol. 2, 1988: 1-36). The
most flagrant example from the 1920's and 30's was German scientific
publications including dissertations in chemistry and physics journals,
upping the page count to "justify" exorbitant prices. Beginning in the
1950's and exemplified by Robert Maxwell's infamous practices, some
publishers regularly fill up space in journals with conference
proceedings. Identified in the 1980's was the LPU, or "Least Publishable
Unit", also known as "salami publication designed to expand a resume and
inflate article counts.

In this context, of repeated complaints in library literature and in the
broader scholarly literature, it is surprising to see Dr. Howard of
Emerald/MCB write: "If there had been but one complaint...". in his press
release. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/rpsv/news/press/dual2005.htm The
profession has been complaining about inflated content from publishers for
most of his career as a publisher.  Our words have obviously fallen on
deaf ears.

The real question is not about Emerald. It's about librarians. For the
last twenty years we have taken the message to faculty that they should
care greatly about the publishing behavior and pricing policies of
publishers of "their" journals. We have preached that they should be
examining their practices. It turns out our own literature exemplifies
some of what we have been complaining of in other literatures. Will we
behave differently than faculty in other areas?

Chuck Hamaker
Associate University Librarian Collections and Technical Services
Atkins Library
University of North Carolina Charlotte
Charlotte, NC 28223
phone 704 687-2825