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Re: News Release: Project Transfer

An assumption here is that The Code of Transfer is going to make a significant difference to the frequency of transfers. Unlikely and perhaps unprovable. An increase in transfers alone won't be sufficient proof.

There is nothing new about journals changing publisher and the drivers for accelerated change are already out there. What the code can do is eliminate or reduce the worst effects of change of publisher on access to the literature in a online environment. There is a good chance that the UKSG Working Group's efforts will achieve just that.

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Neil Renison - Librarian (Acquisitions Services)
Information Resources
James Cook University
Townsville QLD 4811 Australia.
Email: Neil.Renison@jcu.edu.au
Phone: (07) 4781 5073 Fax: (07) 4781 5886
*******************************************************


Joseph J. Esposito wrote:

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