Raym Crow on publishing coopersatives

["Joseph J. Esposito" <espositoj@gmail.com>]

Interesting -- and unexpected, considering the SPARC connection 
-- piece by Raym Crow in the current issue of FirstMonday 
(http://firstmonday.org) on setting up publishing cooperatives 
designed to make not-for-profit publishers more competitive.  I 
know about a foolish consistency is a hobgoblin, etc., but I am 
puzzled by what could appear to be a policy shift at SPARC away 
from Open Access toward NFP publishing.  Or does Crow not speak 
for SPARC?  Beats me. Anyway, here is the abstract:

"Publishing cooperatives - owned, controlled, and benefiting 
non-profit publishers - would provide an organizational and 
financial structure well suited to balancing society publishers' 
twin imperatives of financial sustainability and mission 
fulfillment. Market challenges and structural constraints often 
render it difficult for small society publishers to compete 
individually. Publishing cooperatives would allow society 
publishers to remain independent while operating collectively to 
overcome both structural and strategic disadvantages and to 
address the inefficiencies in the market for academic journals. 
Publishing cooperatives can provide a scaleable publishing model 
that aligns with the values of the academy while providing a 
practical financial framework capable of sustaining society 
publishing programs."

Joe Esposito