RE: Raym Crow on publishing coopersatives

[<Toby.GREEN@oecd.org>]

Raym Crow might like to think about ALPSP (the Association of 
Learned, Professional and Society Publishers) which is already 
doing some of this co-operative work. One key example is the 
ALPSP Collection which brings together more than 450 journals 
into a single service, thus overcoming some of the structural 
contraints he mentions. Since launching the Collection, ALPSP has 
seen a good number of learned societies join for the first time - 
so the concept of working together in this way is clearly 
attractive. ALPSP has recently establised chapters in the US and 
Australasia in response to growing interest in its cooperative 
work.

Toby Green

-----Original Message-----
[mailto:owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Joseph J. Esposito
Sent: 13 September, 2006 3:53 AM
To: liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
Subject: Raym Crow on publishing coopersatives

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