Open Access (OA) : a summary for 2006 Joanne Yeomans CERN Scientific Information Group (Presentation for the CESSID students 12 th May 2006)

OA definition Feb 14 th 2002 (from Budapest Open Access Initiative) …”free availability on the public internet, permitting any users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of these articles, crawl them for indexing, pass them as data to software, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without financial, legal, or technical barriers other than those inseparable from gaining access to the internet itself. The only constraint on reproduction and distribution, and the only role for copyright […] should be to give authors control over the integrity of their work and the right to be properly acknowledged and cited.” …”free availability on the public internet, permitting any users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of these articles, crawl them for indexing, pass them as data to software, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without financial, legal, or technical barriers other than those inseparable from gaining access to the internet itself. The only constraint on reproduction and distribution, and the only role for copyright […] should be to give authors control over the integrity of their work and the right to be properly acknowledged and cited.” BOAI definition BOAI definition

Simple OA definition free access to research articles free access to research articles

2 main roads for OA Using a preprint repository Using a preprint repository (green road) Publishing in OA journals Publishing in OA journals (gold road)

Green road : preprints The author’s version of an article The author’s version of an article Physics has a special history compared to other subjects Physics has a special history compared to other subjects –Preprints were collected in paper (all our red filing cabinets contain old preprints) Subject repositories developed to store and disseminate preprints Subject repositories developed to store and disseminate preprints –e.g. arXiv.org in 1991 Institutional repositories Institutional repositories –e.g. CDS – CERN Document Server in 1993

Gold road : OA journals Traditional-style journals Traditional-style journals Publishing costs are paid from the author- side instead of by reader subscription Publishing costs are paid from the author- side instead of by reader subscription Prominent in biomedical fields Prominent in biomedical fields Physics has very few options (perhaps because it has a strong preprint history) Physics has very few options (perhaps because it has a strong preprint history) –Only example in physics is the New Journal of Physics published by IOPP

How are these two methods relevant at CERN? 1. Preprints 2. OA publishing

Why is CERN interested? Since 1993 CERN authors have been mandated to deposit a preprint in the CDS repository Since 1993 CERN authors have been mandated to deposit a preprint in the CDS repository CERN therefore has an interest in repository developments (review systems, overlay journals, new methods of ranking (not impact factor), etc) CERN therefore has an interest in repository developments (review systems, overlay journals, new methods of ranking (not impact factor), etc) Repositories solve only some of the problems Repositories solve only some of the problems Continuing journal cancellations threaten the publishing system Continuing journal cancellations threaten the publishing system CERN wants to ensure peer-review continues and publishers (especially smaller publishers) survive CERN wants to ensure peer-review continues and publishers (especially smaller publishers) survive Large volume of LHC results in 2007 could trigger a major transition for particle physics publishing Large volume of LHC results in 2007 could trigger a major transition for particle physics publishing

CDS developments Exciting area to work in for technical librarians and computer scientists Exciting area to work in for technical librarians and computer scientists –Commenting features –Baskets –Automatic citation extraction –Automatic keywording –Download statistics CERN Management also wants to develop OA publishing CERN Management also wants to develop OA publishing

CERN’s latest OA policy (2005) Summary: Summary: –Continue to encourage repository submissions and increase services –Promote and support “author-pays” model –Work with other institutions to move together – this might lead to sponsorship of journals –Support an increase in the number of OA journals available in HEP –Not to discriminate against authors publishing in OA journals that might not yet have impact factors.

OA debate Open access is a controversial topic among publishers, librarians, and certain outspoken researchers Open access is a controversial topic among publishers, librarians, and certain outspoken researchers Without going into very much of the detail, here are some of the topics of discussion…. Without going into very much of the detail, here are some of the topics of discussion….

OA and the ‘journal crisis’ Journal costs increasing more than library budgets Repositories (free preprints) are seen by some as a threat to traditional journals: Repositories (free preprints) are seen by some as a threat to traditional journals: “Why pay for a journal when the preprints are free?” Author-side payments keep track with research better than library subscription budgets Author-side payments keep track with research better than library subscription budgets “Publication should be part of the research process” Studies show that these models offer increased competition and therefore price reductions Studies show that these models offer increased competition and therefore price reductions “Why would commercial publishers want to change?”

OA and the peer-review process Peer-review is an important part of the traditional system and currently organised by publishers Peer-review is an important part of the traditional system and currently organised by publishers Preprints are currently not reviewed for quality/errors Preprints are currently not reviewed for quality/errors But repositories and some new OA journals are experimenting with new forms of review But repositories and some new OA journals are experimenting with new forms of review Are publishers needed for anything other than peer review? Are publishers needed for anything other than peer review? Will charging authors for peer review mean the system is compromised? Will charging authors for peer review mean the system is compromised?

OA and ISI impact factors Traditional measurement of journal quality (number of citations averaged across the whole journal) Traditional measurement of journal quality (number of citations averaged across the whole journal) Authors rely on having good IF for promotions Authors rely on having good IF for promotions However, individual articles online can be measured by individual citation counts, article download figures However, individual articles online can be measured by individual citation counts, article download figures Repositories are pioneering new measurements Repositories are pioneering new measurements A move away from IF could threaten the existence of traditional journals A move away from IF could threaten the existence of traditional journals

CERN’s policy is based on a belief that… The current system will not continue to work The current system will not continue to work If the current system breaks down, there is currently no alternative to peer-review and impact measurement If the current system breaks down, there is currently no alternative to peer-review and impact measurement It will cost CERN more initially, but overall it will eventually become cheaper It will cost CERN more initially, but overall it will eventually become cheaper Many authors already support it but need the ‘system’ to change Many authors already support it but need the ‘system’ to change The system takes time and momentum to change but these are gaining weight and CERN can give leadership on this (especially with the LHC lever) The system takes time and momentum to change but these are gaining weight and CERN can give leadership on this (especially with the LHC lever)

CERN’s recent actions September 16 th 2005 open meeting with CERN authors September 16 th 2005 open meeting with CERN authors December 7 th -8 th 2005 tripartite meeting with funders, publishers, authors December 7 th -8 th 2005 tripartite meeting with funders, publishers, authors Task force report due any day now on ‘Open Access Publishing in Particle Physics’ Task force report due any day now on ‘Open Access Publishing in Particle Physics’

To read more look for… Good overview in Wikipedia: Good overview in Wikipedia: Peter Suber : news, blog, information pages Peter Suber : news, blog, information pages Stevan Harnad : articles and opinions on mailing lists Stevan Harnad : articles and opinions on mailing lists Open access bibliography : a very comprehensive bibliography of sources for reading about different aspects of OA Open access bibliography : a very comprehensive bibliography of sources for reading about different aspects of OA

Conclusion OA is a controversial subject OA is a controversial subject Preprint archiving has many ongoing technical developments Preprint archiving has many ongoing technical developments The traditional publishing system in near a crisis but there is more hope if all the actors: authors, publishers, funding bodies, and libraries, look for an alternative model now and start a transition The traditional publishing system in near a crisis but there is more hope if all the actors: authors, publishers, funding bodies, and libraries, look for an alternative model now and start a transition CERN’s first LHC papers will start being published next year – hopefully with full OA! CERN’s first LHC papers will start being published next year – hopefully with full OA! Open access is a hot topic for all librarians Open access is a hot topic for all librarians