RE: Authors rights: Going too far...

["Klein, Bonnie CIV DTIC O" <BKlein@dtic.mil>]

Unless very prolific and experienced in the publication process, 
most authors are so happy to be published that they'll gladly 
sign publishing agreements without looking at or understanding 
the fine print. The 2003 RoMEO Copyright Transfer Survey 
<www.oaforum.org/otherfiles/bath-gadd.ppt> found that even though 
90% of responding authors assigned their copyright, 61% thought 
they still had ownership.  Just as frequently, authors sign away 
rights they don't have or are not authorized to give. And most do 
not understand that agreements are open to negotiation. The same 
Copyright Transfer Survey found that 65% of publishers required 
assignment prior to refereeing, but 15% did not return rights if 
the paper was rejected. And 29% did not grant authors any usage 
rights at all.  So, yes, this librarian insinuates herself in the 
process by conducting workshops and advising authors about 
publishing agreements -- and they have thanked me for it.

Bonnie Klein

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
[mailto:owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Phil Davis
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 9:55 PM
To: liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu; Joseph J. Esposito
Subject: Re: Authors rights: Going too far

How about the point of view of an author?  I would be livid if my
librarian told me that my favorite journal were to be canceled
because she thought the publisher was treating me unfairly.  My
mother may have told me to eat my greens when I was a child;
having my librarian tell me what is (and what isn't) good for me
as an author seems both arrogant and ridiculous.

--Phil Davis

Joseph J. Esposito wrote:
> Heather Morrison wrote:
>
> "Perhaps it is timely for collections librarians to add Author's
> Rights as a key criterion, when evaluating journal subscriptions
> to add, or to cancel?"
>
> JE:  Perhaps some lawyers on this list would like to offer a
> point of view, but this suggestion seems to me to go too far.
> It is disconcerting to suggest that librarians insinuate
> themselves in the contracts between authors and publishers, whose
> dealings are a private matter.
>
> Joe Esposito