Open-Access Scholarly Publishing
Open-Access Scholarly Publishing
Malcolm GetzVanderbilt University
June 1, 2004
Malcolm GetzVanderbilt University
June 1, 2004
Two QuestionsTwo Questions
Can open-access scholarship succeed?
Should open-access scholarship succeed?
• The goals are to lower costs and increase access.
Can open-access scholarship succeed?
Should open-access scholarship succeed?
• The goals are to lower costs and increase access.
Four TopicsFour Topics
Three Fundamental Ideas
Transition from Paper to Digital
Market Forces
Strategies
Three Fundamental Ideas
Transition from Paper to Digital
Market Forces
Strategies
Three Fundamental Ideas
Three Fundamental Ideas
• Substitutes versus Complements
• Recipient versus Sender Payment
• Packaging and Bundling
• Substitutes versus Complements
• Recipient versus Sender Payment
• Packaging and Bundling
From Paper to DigitalFrom Paper to Digital
• Cost to Universities in 2002
Library subscription fees, average $5,370,000
Library processing and storage, perhaps $1,110,000
• Cost to Universities in 2002
Library subscription fees, average $5,370,000
Library processing and storage, perhaps $1,110,000
Item Print
First Copy$1,8
40
Distribution 320
Accounting 240
Profit1,29
0
Other Serials
1,680
Publication Total
$5,370
Annual Cost in $000s for a Research Library, 2002
Annual Cost in $000s for a Research Library, 2002 Of 21,000 serials titles,
let 10,000 be refereed academic journals.
Following Bergstrom, put first copy costs at $1,840th, distribution at $320th, and accounting at $240th.
Let 2,400 of the journals be high-priced commercial titles. Put profit at $1,290th.
Of 21,000 serials titles, let 10,000 be refereed academic journals.
Following Bergstrom, put first copy costs at $1,840th, distribution at $320th, and accounting at $240th.
Let 2,400 of the journals be high-priced commercial titles. Put profit at $1,290th.
A Research Library’s Expenditures on Serials
A Research Library’s Expenditures on Serials
ItemPrin
t
First Copy$1,8
40
Distribution 320
Accounting 240
Profit1,29
0
Other Serials
1,680
Lib Processin
g790
Lib Storage
320
Total$6,4
80
Annual Cost in $000s for a Research LibraryAnnual Cost in $000s for a Research Library
Add $37 per serial title for library processing.Put the present value of perpetual storage of the current year of each serial at $15.
Add $37 per serial title for library processing.Put the present value of perpetual storage of the current year of each serial at $15.
Publication Plus Library Costs
Publication Plus Library Costs
Compare print to digitalCompare print to digital
• Replace print subscriptions with digital subscriptions.
Digital subscriptions that replace print subscriptions lower the publishers’ distribution costs by $300,000.
Digital subscriptions lower library storage costs by $150,000.
• Replace print subscriptions with digital subscriptions.
Digital subscriptions that replace print subscriptions lower the publishers’ distribution costs by $300,000.
Digital subscriptions lower library storage costs by $150,000.
Item PrintDigit
aldiffere
nce
First Copy$1,84
0$1,84
0$0
Distribution
320 20 $300
Accounting 240 240 0
Profit 1,290 1,290 0
Other Serials
1,680 1,680 0
Lib Processing
790 790 0
Lib Storage
320 170 150
Total$6,48
0$6,03
0$450
Annual Cost in $000s for a Research LibraryAnnual Cost in $000s for a Research Library
Print to
Digital
Print to
Digital
Digital Subscription to Open-Access
Digital Subscription to Open-Access
Lower accounting costs because transactions are with authors rather than with readers.
Lower library processing cost with universal free access on the Internet.
Lower accounting costs because transactions are with authors rather than with readers.
Lower library processing cost with universal free access on the Internet.
Open-access means that authors pay page charges to journals that are available without charge on the Internet.
Open-access means that authors pay page charges to journals that are available without charge on the Internet.
Item Print DigitalOpe
ndifferen
ce
First Copy$1,84
0$1,840
$1,840
$0
Distribution
320 20 20 0
Accounting 240 240 12 228
Profit 1,290 1,290 1,290 0
Other Serials
1,680 1,680 1,680 0
Lib Processing
790 790 420 370
Lib Storage
320 170 170 0
Total$6,48
0$6,030
$5,432
$598
Annual Cost in $000s for a Research LibraryAnnual Cost in $000s for a Research Library
Digital to Open-accessDigital to Open-access
Profit to Non-ProfitProfit to Non-Profit
• Organize the open-access publications exclusively through non-profit publishers.
Eliminate excess profit of high-priced commercial academic journals.
• Organize the open-access publications exclusively through non-profit publishers.
Eliminate excess profit of high-priced commercial academic journals.
Item Print DigitalOpe
nNonPro
fit
First Copy$1,84
0$1,840
$1,840
$1,840
Distribution
320 20 20 20
Accounting 240 240 12 12
Profit 1,290 1,290 1,290 0
Other Serials
1,680 1,680 1,680 1,680
Lib Processing
790 780 420 420
Lib Storage
320 170 170 170
Total$6,48
0$6,030
$5,432
$4,142
Annual Cost in $000s for a Research LibraryAnnual Cost in $000s for a Research Library
Open-access to Non-profitOpen-access to Non-profit
Potential Cost SavingsPotential Cost Savings
• Significant savings are possible by replacing print with digital, moving to open-access, and moving to non-profit organization.
• None of these savings is automatic.
• Significant savings are possible by replacing print with digital, moving to open-access, and moving to non-profit organization.
• None of these savings is automatic.
Distribution
$300
Storage 150
Accounting
228
Processing
360
Profit 1,290
Total$2,3
28
Annual Savings in $000s per Research LibraryAnnual Savings in $000s per Research Library
Citation RatesCitation RatesOpen-access will allow anyone on the Internet to search full-text databases and retrieve page images for any purpose without charge.
Use of Medline increased seven fold after it became open-access. Some 30 percent of use is by people who are not health care providers.
With more adults having BAs and more, use of scholarship might increase.
Open-access will allow anyone on the Internet to search full-text databases and retrieve page images for any purpose without charge.
Use of Medline increased seven fold after it became open-access. Some 30 percent of use is by people who are not health care providers.
With more adults having BAs and more, use of scholarship might increase.
Market ForcesMarket Forces
With large scale, publishers achieve market power, the ability to charge by ability-to-pay rather than cost.
Elsevier’s Market Intelligence Manager looks for ways for libraries to lower operating costs so as to pay Elsevier more.
Open-access could be offered by commercial publishers.
With large scale, publishers achieve market power, the ability to charge by ability-to-pay rather than cost.
Elsevier’s Market Intelligence Manager looks for ways for libraries to lower operating costs so as to pay Elsevier more.
Open-access could be offered by commercial publishers.
Amount of Publication Fee
Amount of Publication Fee
American Economic Review $13,000 per article
Bergstrom estimate of average $1,820 per article
Public Library of Science $1,500 per article
American Economic Review $13,000 per article
Bergstrom estimate of average $1,820 per article
Public Library of Science $1,500 per article
The publication fees needed to support high-quality editing are substantial.The publication fees needed to support high-quality editing are substantial.
StrategiesStrategies
Assure quality of editing of open-access journals.
Tie size of publication fee to citation rate.
Limit publication fees to not-for-profit publishers.
Grow open access journals as ancillaries to indices.
Assure quality of editing of open-access journals.
Tie size of publication fee to citation rate.
Limit publication fees to not-for-profit publishers.
Grow open access journals as ancillaries to indices.
Two ConclusionsTwo ConclusionsCan open-access scholarship succeed?
• Yes. Innovators can gain advantages.
Should open-access scholarship succeed?
• Yes. It should offer wider access at lower cost.
Can open-access scholarship succeed?
• Yes. Innovators can gain advantages.
Should open-access scholarship succeed?
• Yes. It should offer wider access at lower cost.
Open-Access Scholarly Publishing
Open-Access Scholarly Publishing
• • [email protected]@Vanderbilt.Edu
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