Re: A Prophylactic Against the Edentation of the RCUK Policy Proposal

["Sally Morris \(ALPSP\)" <sally.morris@alpsp.org>]

Publishers' concern, of course, is that by the time it damage is
demonstrated it will be too late

Sally

Sally Morris, Chief Executive
Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers
Email:  sally.morris@alpsp.org

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Prosser" <david.prosser@bodley.ox.ac.uk>
To: <liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Monday, July 11, 2005 10:32 PM
Subject: RE: A Prophylactic Against the Edentation of the RCUK Policy 
Proposal

> We appear to be agreed on the issue that started this exchange.  The
> original statement from Stevan that Joe took exception to - 'The
> argument that self-archiving will lead to journal cancellations and
> collapse, in contrast, is not based on objective fact but on
> *hypothesis*.' - is correct.  There is no evidence.
>
> For the rest, I think that the last two paragraphs of the quote from
> Raym Crow says it very well:
>
> "In any event, the systemic inertia inherent in the traditional
> scholarly publishing paradigm suggests that one need not fear the
> precipitous collapse of commercial academic publishers. The best of them
> will adapt and survive under new models and will continue to perform a
> valuable albeit changed role in scholarly communications."
>
> Publishers respond to changes in technology and changes in the market.
> In the last ten years we have seen a massive change in the technology -
> the internet - and we are currently seeing a massive change in the
> market - the funding bodies deciding that they wish to have wider
> dissemination of the research they fund.  Publishers will adapt and
> survive - no doubt aided by far-sighted consultants!
>
> David