<div dir="ltr">Forwarding from Paul Royster. <div><br></div><div>I of course agree with Paul's points of criticism, but I am not quite sure why he is directing it SPARC rather than Finch! </div><div><br></div><div>Perhaps Heather Joseph or Alma Swan can reply on behalf of SPARC.</div>
<div><br></div><div> I don't think SPARC rejects the post-BOAI distinction between Gratis OA (free online access) and Libre OA (free online access plus certain re-use rights); nor does SPARC equate OA with Libre OA, or with CC-BY. They just mention them as desirable, for many cases. </div>
<div><br></div><div>Nor do I think SPARC devalues Green OA or Green OA mandates: It strongly supports and promotes them.</div><div><br></div><div>But on promoting Gold OA subsidies (which SPARC does indeed do), I do agree with Paul: I have given many reasons why I think that to pay pre-emptively (i.e., pre-Green) for Gold OA is to pay for "Fool's Gold."</div>
<div><br></div><div>But I certainly believe SPARC has done incomparably more for OA than just sing "Kumbaya" around a campfire! I think we have Heather Joseph (and Peter Suber) to thank for the NIH and OSTP Green OA funder mandates, for example, and many of the US university Green OA mandates. </div>
<div><br></div><div>Stevan Harnad<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Paul Royster</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:proyster2@unl.edu">proyster2@unl.edu</a>></span><br>
Date: Sun, Nov 17, 2013 <br>
<div dir="ltr">
<div name="divtagdefaultwrapper" style="font-size:12pt;margin:0;font-family:Calibri,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">
<p>On 2 points of SPARC Policy:</p>
<p>I do not always agree 100% with Dr. Harnad but I think he makes some important points, especially on 2 issues where SPARC's declared policy seems more in support of the interests of publishers than of libraries and researchers. I know the C stands for Coalition,
but my ongoing impression is that the publishers are in the saddle and the others are being ridden.</p>
<p>1. Promoting subsidies and emphasizing funding to buy Gold OA, i.e. to ransom academic content back from the same folks who have been holding it hostage for years. Clearly this is a good business plan for publishers. I don't see how it helps libraries or
faculty.</p>
<p>2. Devaluing Green OA: as in Dr. Harnad's restatement of the publishers' nocturnal #11: "Mobilize the minority OA advocates who are in a great hurry for re-use rights (CC-BY, text-mining, republication) to support you in your promotion of Gold OA and demotion
and embargoing of Green OA." SPARC is on record as declaring "From now on 'open-access' means CC-BY or equivalent"--thus relegating most Green OA to "merely free access." Dr. Harnad calls these "minority OA advocates," and I cannot tell who is the majority
or minority on this issue, or how it came to be declared SPARC policy. Perhaps the Budapest (2001) and Berlin (2003) Declarations suggest this, but I believe that such arguments from the "founders' intentions" are as suspect here as at the Supreme Court. Dr.
Harnad was party to those assemblies, and he dissents from that definition. Anyway, my point here is that I strongly believe open access needs to be an inclusive rather than an exclusive movement. It is insulting to those of us who are actually putting thousands
of works online in accessible repositories in accordance with publisher's Green OA posting policies, that we should be told these are something less than open access.</p>
<p>I have made these points directly to the SPARC leadership before, but apparently to no effect. I am just now encouraged to find that others may hold them too. It is pretty to think that Open Access is all about holding hands and singing "Kumbaya" around
the campfire, but I feel we are being sold down the river without much discussion on these key issues.</p>
<p>But perhaps other members of the SPARC-OA Forum feel differently, and I am sure they will make those views known. As Stan Lee says, 'Nuff said.</p><div>
<div style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:13px"><span style="font-family:Tahoma">Paul Royster</span>, PhD<br style="font-family:Tahoma">
<span style="font-family:Tahoma">Scholarly Communications, UNL Libraries</span><br style="font-family:Tahoma">
<span style="font-family:Tahoma">306 Love Library</span><br>
<a href="tel:402%20472-3628" value="+14024723628" target="_blank">402 472-3628</a><br style="font-family:Tahoma">
<span style="font-family:Tahoma"><a href="mailto:proyster@unl.edu" target="_blank">proyster@unl.edu</a></span><br style="font-family:Tahoma">
<a href="http://digitalcommons.unl.edu" style="font-family:Tahoma" target="_blank">http://digitalcommons.unl.edu</a><br>
</div>
</div>
<p><br>
</p>
<div style="color:rgb(40,40,40)"><div><div style="background-color:rgb(245,245,245);font-family:arial;border-top:1px solid rgb(229,229,229);padding:4px 0pt 5px 32px"> <a href="http://groups.google.com/a/arl.org/group/sparc-oaforum/t/c76bfec3cbafa871" style="color:rgb(0,1,92);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">The Journal Publisher Lobby in the UK & Netherlands: Part I</a></div>
<ul>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Stevan Harnad <<a href="mailto:amsciforum@gmail.com" target="_blank">amsciforum@gmail.com</a>></span> Nov 16 03:49PM -0500 <br>
<br>
The UK and the Netherlands -- not coincidentally, the home bases of Big<br>
Publishing for refereed research -- have issued coordinated statements in<br>
support of what cannot be described other than as a publisher's nocturnal<br>
fantasy, in the face of the unstoppable worldwide clamour for Open Access.<br>
<br>
Here are the components of the publishers' nocturnal:<br>
<br>
(1) Do whatever it takes to sustain or increase your current revenue<br>
streams.<br>
<br>
(2) Your current revenue streams come mainly from subscriptions.<br>
<br>
(3) Claim far and wide that everything has to be done to sustain<br>
publishers' subscription revenue, otherwise publishing will be destroyed,<br>
and with it so will peer review, and research itself.<br>
<br>
(4) With (3) as your justification, embargo Green OA self-archiving for as<br>
long as possible, and fight against Green OA self-archiving mandates -- or<br>
make sure allowable embargoes are as long as possible.<br>
<br>
(5) Profess a fervent commitment to a transition to full 100% immediate OA<br>
-- but Gold OA, on your terms, in such a way as to ensure that you sustain<br>
or increase your current revenue streams.<br>
<br>
(6) Offer hybrid Gold OA and promise not to "double-dip." That will ensure<br>
that your subscription revenues segue seamlessly into Gold OA revenues<br>
while maintaining their current levels.<br>
<br>
(7) To hasten the transition, offer even Bigger Big Deals to cover<br>
subscriptions at the national level (as you had always dreamt of doing)<br>
until all payment is safely converted (Gold) OA.<br>
<br>
(8) Encourage centralized, collective payment of Gold OA fees too, in even<br>
Bigger Deals, so Gold OA can continue to be treated as annual institutional<br>
-- preferably national -- payments rather than as piecewise payments per<br>
individual article.<br>
<br>
(9) Persuade governments to mandate, subsidize and prefer Gold OA rather<br>
than mandating Green OA<br>
<br>
(10) Make sure Green OA is perceived as delayed OA (because of your<br>
embargoes!), so that only Gold OA can be immediate.<br>
<br>
(11) Mobilize the minority OA advocates who are in a great hurry for re-use<br>
rights (CC-BY, text-mining, republication) to support you in your promotion<br>
of Gold OA and demotion and embargoing of Green OA.<br>
<br>
(12) Cross your fingers and hope that the research community will be<br>
gullible enough to buy it all.<br>
<br>
There is, however, a compeletely effective prophylactic against this<br>
publisher fantasy (but it has to be adopted by the research community,<br>
because British and Dutch Ministers are apparently too vulnerable to the<br>
publishing lobby):<br>
<br>
(a) Research funders and institutions worldwide adopt an immediate-deposit<br>
mandate, requiring, as a condition of funding, employment and evaluation,<br>
that all researchers deposit their final, peer-reviewed drafts in their<br>
institutional repositories immediately upon acceptance for publication,<br>
regardless of whether they are published in a subscription journal or a<br>
Gold OA journal -- and regardless of whether access to the deposit is made<br>
Green OA immediately or only after a publisher embargo.<br>
<br>
(b) Do not mandate or designate any extra money to pay for Gold OA: let<br>
that come from the subscription cancellation savings -- if and when Green<br>
OA actually releases institutions to cancel subscriptions.<br>
<br>
(c) To tide over research access needs during any embargo, make sure to<br>
implement the institutional repository's automated copy-request Button so<br>
that any user can request -- and any author can provide -- a single copy<br>
for research purposes with just one click each.<br>
<br>
------------------------------<br>
<br>
Now please read how fully the Dutch government fell for the publishing<br>
lobby's nocturnal fantasy. (Tomorrow you will see the same from the UK.)<br>
<br>
Here is a quick google translation of excerpts from Sander Dekker,<br>
Secretary of Education, Culture and Science, Netherlands on "Commitment to<br>
further developments in open access scientific<br>
publication<<a href="https://t.co/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FBCEXH3YmCd&sig=4f5a508aa12ff21e4d4aea3110c4ac4b87ad91ea&uid=18504532&iid=16196ef5995a423ca9dd4975e16e0a1d&nid=136+1028&t=1" target="_blank">https://t.co/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FBCEXH3YmCd&sig=4f5a508aa12ff21e4d4aea3110c4ac4b87ad91ea&uid=18504532&iid=16196ef5995a423ca9dd4975e16e0a1d&nid=136+1028&t=1</a>><br>
"<br>
<br>
<br>
*Sander Dekker, Secretary of Education, Culture and Science, Netherlands:*<br>
"A clear choice in favour of Open Access publications; the transition<br>
process provides the necessary speed and shortens the transition period,<br>
thus avoiding unnecessary additional costs... .<br>
<br>
"The Green road is the form in which the author publishes an article in a<br>
journal. In addition, the author deposits a version of the article in Open<br>
Access electronic archive ( repository ). There are both discipline-based<br>
and university-based repositories. The system of paid subscriptions to<br>
journals continues. Publishers often negotiate embargo periods that can<br>
range from several months to several years before an article can be made OA<br>
through a repository. During the embargo period, only the paid version of<br>
the journal accessible. This constitutes a source of revenue for<br>
publishers. Moreover, there are publisher restrictions on the version of an<br>
article in the repository. Sometimes this may only be the version that has<br>
not yet been peer reviewd...<br>
<br>
"Netherlands is in a special position because it has a number of major<br>
scientific publishers within its borders. That makes dialogue between<br>
science and the Dutch publishing possible...<br>
<br>
"In the UK, a national committee chaired by Dame Janet Finch laid the<br>
foundation for the Open Access policy of the United Kingdom. The report of<br>
the Commission Finch serves as a solid standard . It contains a thorough<br>
analysis of developments and progress. The Committee notes that due to the<br>
major changes it is imperative that all players act together and she<br>
advises to achieve by focusing on Open Access journals. Transition<br>
Following this advice, the British government earmarked 10 million pounds<br>
for Open Access. The initial signs indicate that this has not led to an<br>
accelerated transition , but rather a continuation of the transition...<br>
<br>
"The transition to the Golden Road: My preference is for Open Access<br>
publishing in journals that make their articles accessible free, the Golden<br>
road. My aim is to achieve OA within ten years: a full transition to Open<br>
Access Golden Road by 2024. to achieve this, at least 60 percent of the<br>
scientific publications Open Access should be available in about five years<br>
through the Gold OA journals...<br>
<br>
"The real change can only be achieved if we work together at the<br>
international level with National cooperation and coordination equally<br>
important...<br>
<br>
"Open Access in the coming years: Dutch universities, KNAW and NWO should<br>
give priority to Open Access Golden road...<br>
<br>
"While the publishers have not yet made the transition to Open Access<br>
Golden road I prefer hybrid Open Access, where the institution pays for<br>
publication in a traditional journal...<br>
<br>
"For disciplines where the potential for Gold Open Access journals is still<br>
limited, it is possible to provide OA via the Green road...<br>
<br>
"1. Consultation with likeminded countries: I will get in touch with a<br>
number of like-minded countries to promote and acceleration Open Access. I<br>
refer primarily to the United Kingdom and Germany . This is because there<br>
are a large number of important commercial and academic publishers in the<br>
Netherlands and in these two countries i. In addition, Denmark, Finland,<br>
Belgium and France are leading like-minded countries...<br>
<br>
"2. Create conditions under which open access possible: An important<br>
momentum in the transition to Open Access publications when the scientific<br>
organizations and major scientific publishers agree on subscriptions to<br>
scientific journals . This 'big deals' always apply for some years…."<br>
<br>
"3. reports: If the parties concerned are not sufficiently committed , or<br>
developments in insufficient progress , the minister and I imagine that the<br>
obligation to publish Gold OA to be included in the Law on Higher Education<br>
in 2016 Open Access and Research Act (WHW )…."<br>
<br>
*Sander Dekker, Secretary of Education, Culture and Science, Netherlands*<br>
<p> </p>
</ul>
<a name="1426cb938ad4b519_group_thread_1"></a>
<div style="background-color:rgb(245,245,245);font-family:arial;border-top:1px solid rgb(229,229,229);padding:4px 0pt 5px 32px">
<a href="http://groups.google.com/a/arl.org/group/sparc-oaforum/t/ff550c2b21accca8" style="color:rgb(0,1,92);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Alert: Some coordinated action from the Big Publishing Lobby in the UK & Netherlands</a></div>
<ul>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Stevan Harnad <<a href="mailto:amsciforum@gmail.com" target="_blank">amsciforum@gmail.com</a>></span> Nov 16 02:34PM -0500 <br>
<br>
Finch II has obviously timed its press release Monday to coincide with a<br>
similar one from the other home-base of Reed-Elsevier, the Netherlands:<br>
<br>
Here are some quick Google Translation excerpts from just-released the<br>
Dutch Gold OA Manifesto, clearly timed to coincide with Finch II's<br>
reaffirmation of its Gold preference, for which the Press Release will<br>
appear tomorrow.<br>
<br>
I'll comment on Finch II shortly. The publishing Lobby is obviously in<br>
overdrive -- Gold mandates, pre-emptive payment, hybrid Gold, Extended Big<br>
Deals to sustain current revenue levels during "transition"… ---<br>
<br>
But don't worry, there is neither the money nor the imbecility worldwide to<br>
buy into such a publisher fantasy scheme. It is no coincidence that this<br>
drive is coming from UK & Netherlands where the big publishers and their<br>
lobbyists are based. (in the US, all they have is the FIRST Act.) The<br>
nuclear weapon that will defend against this is…: The Immediate-Deposit<br>
Mandate & Button...<br>
<br>
Excerpts from <a href="http://t.co/BCEXH3YmCd" target="_blank">http://t.co/BCEXH3YmCd</a><br>
<br>
Sander Dekker, Secretary of Education, Culture and Science, Netherlands:<br>
<br>
"A clear choice in favour of Open Access publications; the transition<br>
process provides the necessary speed and shortens the transition period,<br>
thus avoiding unnecessary additional costs... .<br>
<br>
"The Green road is the form in which the author publishes an article in a<br>
journal. In addition, the author deposits a version of the article in Open<br>
Access electronic archive ( repository ). There are both discipline-based<br>
and university-based repositories. The system of paid subscriptions to<br>
journals continues. Publishers often negotiate embargo periods that can<br>
range from several months to several years before an article can be made<br>
OA through a repository. During the embargo period, only the paid version<br>
of the journal accessible. This constitutes a source of revenue for<br>
publishers. Moreover, there are publisher restrictions on the version of an<br>
article in the repository. Sometimes this may only be the version that has<br>
not yet been peer reviewd...<br>
<br>
"Netherlands is in a special position because it has a number of major<br>
scientific publishers within its borders. That makes dialogue between<br>
science and the Dutch publishing possible...<br>
<br>
"In the UK, a national committee chaired by Dame Janet Finch laid the<br>
foundation for the Open Access policy of the United Kingdom. The report of<br>
the Commission Finch serves as a solid standard . It contains a thorough<br>
analysis of developments and progress. The Committee notes that due to the<br>
major changes it is imperative that all players act together and she<br>
advises to achieve by focusing on Open Access journals. Transition<br>
Following this advice, the British government earmarked 10 million pounds<br>
for Open Access. The initial signs indicate that this has not led to an<br>
accelerated transition , but rather a continuation of the transition...<br>
<br>
"The transition to the Golden Road: My preference is for Open Access<br>
publishing in journals that make their articles accessible free, the<br>
Golden road. My aim is to achieve OA within ten years: a full transition to<br>
Open Access Golden Road by 2024. to achieve this, at least 60 percent of<br>
the scientific publications Open Access should be available in about five<br>
years through the Gold OA journals...<br>
<br>
"The real change can only be achieved if we work together at the<br>
international level with National cooperation and coordination equally<br>
important...<br>
<br>
"Open Access in the coming years: Dutch universities, KNAW and NWO should<br>
give priority to Open Access Golden road...<br>
<br>
"While the publishers have not yet made the transition to Open Access<br>
Golden road I prefer hybrid Open Access, where the institution pays for<br>
publication in a traditional journal...<br>
<br>
"For disciplines where the potential for Gold Open Access journals is still<br>
limited, it is possible to provide OA via the Green road...<br>
<br>
"1. Consultation with likeminded countries: I will get in touch with a<br>
number of like-minded countries to promote and acceleration Open Access. I<br>
refer primarily to the United Kingdom and Germany . This is because there<br>
are a large number of important commercial and academic publishers in the<br>
Netherlands and in these two countries i. In addition, Denmark, Finland,<br>
Belgium and France are leading like-minded countries...<br>
<br>
"2. Create conditions under which open access possible: An important<br>
momentum in the transition to Open Access publications when the scientific<br>
organizations and major scientific publishers agree on subscriptions to<br>
scientific journals . This 'big deals' always apply for some years…."<br>
<br>
"3. reports: If the parties concerned are not sufficiently committed , or<br>
developments in insufficient progress , the minister and I imagine that the<br>
obligation to publish Gold OA to be included in the Law on Higher<br>
Education in 2016 Open Access and Research Act (WHW )…."<br>
<br>
Sander Dekker, Secretary of Education, Culture and Science, Netherlands<br>
<p> </p>
</ul>
<p></p>
-</div></div></div></div></div></div></div>