The Shift to Open Access Scholarly Communication Models

Financial pressures on academic institutions and scrutiny of the allocation of public funds has led to experiments and disruptions to traditional scholarly publishing activities and business models.

In the news

University of California efforts toward transformative agreements with publishers.

• From the University of California:
  • Press Release, February 28, 2019: UC terminates subscriptions with world’s largest scientific publisher in push for open access to publicly funded research.
  • Write-up from interview with one of the lead negotiators, March 6, 2019: Why UC split with publishing giant Elsevier
  • Press Release, April 10, 2019: Cambridge University Press and the University of California Agree to Open Access Publishing Deal
  • Detailed explanation of their goals in these negotiations: UC Libraries Journal Negotiations: FAQs
  • Information for scholars on how to get access to articles not available via the subscription: Alternative Access to Elsevier Articles
• Reactions and analysis:
  • Inside Higher Ed, March 1, 2019: UC Drops Elsevier
  • The Atlantic, March 4, 2019:  The Real Cost of Knowledge
  • Science, March 8, 2019: University of California takes a stand on open access
  • The Scholarly Kitchen blog, April 22, 2019: The First Read and Publish Deal with California: An Interview with Cambridge University Press.

Research funding organizations commit to coordinated implementation of Plan S.

• From cOAlition S and Science Europe:
  • Press Release, September 4, 2018: cOAlition S: Making Open Access a Reality by 2020
  • Statement of principles outlined in July 2018 that guide Plan S: 10 Principles
  • Initial implementation guidance for Plan S was released for public comment, November 27, 2018: Press Release | Implementation Guidance
  • Press Release, February 20, 2019: Feedback on the Implementation Guidance of Plan S Generates Large Public Response
• Reactions and analysis:
  • From Springer Nature, February 11, 2019: Press Release
  • From AAAS, February 8, 2019: Comments on Implementation Guidance of Plan S
  • An Open Letter reacting against the Plan: Plan S Open Letter: Too Far Too Risky
  • Argument to counter the Open Letter: FOAA Reaction

Background & Related Reading

A useful overview of issues: Seven Things Every Researcher Should Know About Scholarly Publishing by Karin Wulf and Alice Meadows at the Society of Scholarly Publishing’s The Scholarly Kitchen, March 21, 2016.

Transformative Agreements: A Primer by Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe at the Society of Scholarly Publishing’s The Scholarly Kitchen, April 23, 2019.

Plan S and the Transformation of Scholarly Communication: Are We Missing the Woods? by Alison Mudditt at the Society of Scholarly Publishing’s The Scholarly Kitchen, June 3, 2019.