Sept. 8, 2008

Collaboration for Open Access: SCOAPing out a Strategy for CRKN & Canadian English-language SSH Journals

Rowland Lorimer, Dir., Cdn Ctr for Studies in Publishing, SFUPast President, CALJ/ACRS

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Onsite introductory overview remarks

1. CRKN statement on Open Access is well crafted and forward looking

2. Point of presentation: Why use restrictive subscription-based funding when equal funds can buy Open Access

3. CRKN can stimulate (needed) demand for OA by means of a proposed pilot with 20-30 SSH journals to model costs, operations, contribution formulas etc.

4. Much is in place

5. Advantages are all around

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Outline

• Goal of Scholarly Publishing (review)

• Potential of CRKN

• Current status of Open Access– Pieces in place

• Review and application of SCOAP principles

• Proposal

• Benefits– CRKN, journals, scholars, university, society

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Scholarly Publishing: Raison d’être

• A public record of knowledge– Certified– Accessible in content (edited)– Accessible to potential users (searchable)– Preserved record (archived)

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CRKN and Cdn. E-lang SSH Jrnls

• CRKN: an enormous, developing, opportunity – has acquired relatively few Canadian English-

language SSH journals– CRKN’s members desire that access for their clients

• Cdn. Eng.-lang journals – just now achieving an online presence via Synergies

(extended group of institutions)– B2B relationships are just being formed

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Current choices for Cdn. E-lang Jrnls

• Join Erudit:– Advantage is simplicity and immediacy– Disadvantage: many journals are not ready

• Form a second consortium?– Advantage: may better serve journal needs– Disadvantage: much work and slow progress

• Both choices maintain subscription-based status quo in world changing to Open Access

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An Alternative

• If goal is unfettered dissemination

• Open Access is coming to be best practice

• Minimum! 2/3rds funding is in place – (if CRKN is willing)

• All needed structural elements are in place

• Leverage of last third $$ (if needed) is possible– If CRKN buys in

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In-Place Foundations for Open Access

• Low cost production (OJS with Lemon8)• Low cost hosting (Synergies sites)• Integrated database and research tools

(Synergies)• SSHRC content-based, open-access-friendly

funding• National consortium buyer in CRKN• SCOAP3 has laid out adaptable principles

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In-Place Structure: OJS with Lemon8

• (Manuscript handling)

• OJS is free

• OJS organizes journal production

• Lemon8 will further reduce editing costs (in conversion of Word documents to XML)

• Labour intensive tasks remaining: – peer review – layout

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In-Place Structure: Low Cost Hosting

• $750 per journal per annum (Synergies and other sites)

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I-P $$$: OA-friendly SSHRC funding

• $850 per article

• assuming 20 articles per year

• = $17,000 (not subscription based, although minimum usage requirements)

• = Significant percentage of needed income of basic publishing function--no printing, no mailing, no fulfillment, no subscriptions management

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In-Place $$$: CRKN Subscription Fees

• Normal level subscription fees now purchase System-wide access for $202 per article

• This translates to a bargain rate of no more than $.08 per article view compared to an Access Copyright photocopying fee of $.10 per page

• If needed CRKN could justify a boost to match SSHRC

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Morphing Subscriptions into Open Access Support

1. CRKN has power to partner for OA – Minimum is simple conversion of subscriptions to OA support– Complements SSHRC OA endorsement and OA-friendly funding – Demos leadership for other stakeholders and potential partners,

Synergies, CARL, AUCC, and foreign buying consortia– Stimulates development of OA in SSH journals

2. (Needed?) transition funding sources1. Continue to sell print subscriptions 2. SSHRC up to $10,000 per journal

• Positions Cdn SSH journals for application of SCOAP financing formula

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Adaptable SCOAP Principles

• Underwrites creation of and access to official record

• Eliminates authors payments & admin (extra important in SSH research)

• Copyright control and dissemination stays in the academy

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SCOAP Funding Formula

• Output-based funding formula transferable from countries to research institutions. How?– For countries, read AUCC

• Must be a base budget item.

• Not-for-profit, low-cost publishing services already in place

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Proposal

• Establish OA pilot

• with 20 to 30 willing journals

• based on revenue model outlined here to be fine tuned

• Needed: CRKN Agreement in Principle

• Interest in collaborative proposal to CFI

• Interest in collaborating to find final third

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Benefits (CRKN, Jrnls & Scholars)

• CRKN

• Well positioned for CFI app’n with pilot

• Serves client interests and beyond

• Takes SSHRC’s OA policy seriously and allows lobbying AUCC

• Garners intern’l att’n

• Journals & Scholars

• Emphasizes peer review

• Eliminates author payments and admin

• Stimulates OA in Cdn SSH journals

• Encourages online development

• Increases readership

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Benefits (Universities & Society)

• Universities

• Rationalizes journal funding across institutions

• Knowledge mobilization through open access

• Increases transparency

• Provides social service

• Society

• Limitations lifted to knowledge circulation

• Benefits increase from investment in research