Commercial Publishers : Friends or Foes? Françoise Vandooren Libraries Université Libre de Bruxelles Ethical Forum « Scientific publication in the internet era », University Foundation Brussels, 21 October 2002

Some troubling facts  Core journals  Impact factor  Inelastic market Ethical Forum « Scientific publication in the internet era », University Foundation Brussels, 21 October 2002 F. Vandooren

Association of Research Libraries, USA, 1999Association of Research Libraries, USA, Ethical Forum « Scientific publication in the internet era », University Foundation Brussels, 21 October 2002 F. Vandooren

Some troubling facts  Core journals  Mergers  Concentration of journals  Competition diminishes  Side effect of price increase Ethical Forum « Scientific publication in the internet era », University Foundation Brussels, 21 October 2002 F. Vandooren

Some troubling facts  Core journals  Mergers  Difference between commercial and non commercial publishers  Cost per 1000 characters  Cost/quality ratio Ethical Forum « Scientific publication in the internet era », University Foundation Brussels, 21 October 2002 F. Vandooren

Domain Average subscription price Average cost per 1000 characters Economics4,643,91 Neuroscience3,566,50 Physics2,352,53 Factors of difference between commercial and non-commercial publishers Based on the University of Wisconsin-Madison study, 1999.University of Wisconsin-Madison study, 1999 F. VandoorenEthical Forum « Scientific publication in the internet era », University Foundation Brussels, 21 October 2002

Cost/Quality ratio of journals (in US Cents) Domain Commercial publishers Non commercial publishers Factor of difference Physics15,348,211,87 Economics42,6211,553,69 Neuroscience8,690,6413,63 Based on the University of Wisconsin-Madison study, 1999.University of Wisconsin-Madison study, 1999 Average ratio of average cost per 1000 characters / impact factor F. VandoorenEthical Forum « Scientific publication in the internet era », University Foundation Brussels, 21 October 2002

Consortia and “big deal” licenses  Users  Reduced “group” prices  Electronic access to greater number of titles  Price cap  Cancellation of title not allowed!  Publishers  Fixed income  Increasing visibility and availability of their journals Question : impact on usage? Ethical Forum « Scientific publication in the internet era », University Foundation Brussels, 21 October 2002 F. Vandooren

Consortia and “big deals” From OhioLINK Snapshot 2001 onlineOhioLINK Snapshot 2001 online OhioLINK consortia F. Vandooren Ethical Forum « Scientific publication in the internet era », University Foundation Brussels, 21 October 2002

Some tracks for changes?  Core journals – revise use of impact factor  Big deals – provide even wider access  Support alternative journals and new models of communication Expected result : stimulate competition Ethical Forum « Scientific publication in the internet era », University Foundation Brussels, 21 October 2002 F. Vandooren

References and Further reading The talk is based on a report by the speaker containing many references :  Françoise Vandooren, Le système de communication scientifique : enjeux et perspectives, Libraries of Université Libre de Bruxelles, December Price studies :  George Soete and Athena Salaba, Measuring Journal Cost-Effectiveness : Ten Years After Barschall, University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries,  Journal Price Study : Core Agricultural and Biological Journals, Cornell University, November  Mark J. McCabe, The Impact of Publisher Mergers on Journal Prices : An Update, ARL : A Bimonthly Report, n°207, dec [1]. Background paper :  Jean-Claude Guédon, In Oldenburg’s Long Shadow: Librarians, Research Scientists, Publishers, and the Control of Scientific Publishing, ARL Membership Meeting 2001, Further reading :  Jean-Claude Guédon, Beyond Core Journals and Licenses : The Paths to Reform Scientific Publishing, ARL Bimonthly Report 218, October  The market for scientific, technical and medical journals, A statement by the UK Office of Fair Trading, September 2002 Media category, OFT 396. Ethical Forum « Scientific publication in the internet era », University Foundation Brussels, 21 October 2002 F. Vandooren