Re: News Release: Project Transfer

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

Of course.  But if a price increase were the solution to 
sustainability, then a journal could have raised prices without a 
transfer.

The Code of Transfer is not a demon, nor is it an angel.  It is, 
like the internal combustion engine, a fascinating innovation 
whose full implications may not be understood for some time.  If 
I were representing a large publisher, I would say, Go for it! 
If I were representing a small publisher, I would say, Uh, oh! 
If I were an author, I would say, Who cares?  And if I were a 
librarian, I would ask, Why is it that just about every 
innovation (your list here) that is developed to help me winds up 
deepening my budgetary mess and somehow or other lines the 
pockets of the large commercial publishers?

Joe Esposito

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ian Russell" <ian.russell@cytherean.co.uk>
To: <liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Friday, May 11, 2007 6:25 PM
Subject: RE: News Release: Project Transfer


> Possibly true.  But often journals that are transferred are 
> losing money and increasing the subscription price is necessary 
> in order for them to become profitable - there are plenty of 
> occasions where the alternative to the transfer of a journal 
> and a subsequent hike in price has been closure of the title. 
> At least if the journal is transferred the market has a choice 
> which it wouldn't have if the journal went out of business.
>
> Ian Russell
> ALPSP
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-liblicense-
> > l@lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Joseph J. Esposito
> > Sent: 10 May 2007 22:39
> > To: liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
> > Subject: Re: News Release: Project Transfer
> >
> > The proposed Code of Practice appears to be a good idea.  It 
> > may have some unintended consequences, however, which 
> > participants in scholarly communications may wish to consider.
> >
> > The Code is for "Journals Transferring Between Publishers." 
> > You may well ask why journals transfer.  There are many 
> > reasons, but to name just a few: money, access to technology, 
> > new managment, and marketing.  While there are exceptions, 
> > transfers typically occur from small publishers to larger ones 
> > (which may themselves be not-for-profit) and often from 
> > not-for-profit publishers to commercial organizations.
> >
> > Members of this list may wish to confirm or challenge my 
> > hypothesis that journals that transfer are more likely to have 
> > above-average price increases than journals that do not 
> > transfer.
> >
> > Thus the Code, which facilitates transfer, is likely to result in
> > a smooth transfer AND higher prices.  Is the Code a good idea?
> > Yes.  Are higher prices a good idea?  It depends on whether you
> > are buying or selling.
> >
> > Joe Esposito
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Acreman, Beverley" <Beverley.Acreman@tandf.co.uk>
> > To: <liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu>
> > Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2007 8:50 AM
> > Subject: News Release: Project Transfer
> >
> > > UKSG Working Group "Project Transfer" invites Publishers to 
> > > sign-up to an agreed Code of Practice to Improve Procedures 
> > > for Journals Transferring Between Publishers
> > >
> > > Oxford, UK - 9th May 2007- Project Transfer is inviting
> > > publishers to sign up to a Code of Practice which aims to improve
> > > the procedures and policies surrounding the transfer of journals
> > > between publishers. The Code has been drafted with extensive help
> > > from many of the major international publishing houses and has
> > > already been applauded as an excellent step forward by the
> > > contributing library community.
> > >
> > > The Code outlines a set of guidelines for both the Transferring
> > > and the Receiving publisher in any journal transfer.
> > > Comprehensive in its detail, the Code covers the thorny issues of
> > > ongoing access provision to online content, exchange of
> > > subscriber lists, DOI and URL transfer as well as the division
> > > and definition of born-digital versus newly digitized backfile
> > > content.
> > >
> > > The Project Transfer Working Group is inviting publishers to sign
> > > up to this Code through the Project website:
> > > <http://www.projecttransfer.org/> where the Code of Practice can
> > > also be found. Full details of the Code were launched at the UKSG
> > > Annual Conference in Warwick (16-18 April 2007).
> > >
> > > More information is available on the UKSG website: www.uksg.org/transfer
> > >
> > > Bev Acreman
> > > pp UKSG