Electronic University Presses, an oxymoron.

1
Electronic University Presses, an oxymoron.

• Short presentation of Leo Waaijers at the meeting
  of university librarians of Nordrhein-Westfalen
  (AGUB) and The Netherlands (UKB) in Münster on
  Thursday 25 September 2003.

2
Theorem

• The dichotomy between paper and digital coincides
  with the dichotomy between subscription and open
  access.

3
Theorem
Paper world
Digital world
open access
subscription
4
Theorem
Paper world
Digital world
open access
subscription
5

• The subscription model is not sustainable in the
  digital world because it is
• too expensive
• too restrictive.

6
Price per article

• Academic publication price per article
• total of academic expenses
• total articles
• academic expenses/volume
• articles/volume
• price/(volume x subscription) x
  subscriptions
• articles/volume

7
Price per article

• Assumptions re average number of subscriptions
  per journal with
• big commercial publisher 600
• small commercial publisher 500
• non profit publisher 300

8
Price per article
9
Price per article
10
Price per article
11
Price per article
12
Effects of licensing

• If
• On average, libraries subscribe to 25 of the
  publishers portfolio before licensing,
• The license fee equals the total subscription
  fee.
• Then
• Licensing has no effect on the publication price
  of articles. However, it quadruples their
  accessibility.

13
Effects of licensing

• Generic proof of first assertion
• (Licensing has no effect on the publication
  price of articles.)
• Price per article total of academic expenses
• total articles
• Both the numerator and the denominator are
  unaffected by concluding licenses.
• Q.E.D.

14
Effects of licensing

• Proof of the whole theorem from a library
  perspective

15
Effects of licensing

• Proof of the whole theorem from a library
  perspective

16
Effects of licensing

• Proof of the whole theorem from a library
  perspective

17
In an open access world,

• what is the role of libraries re
• collection policy,
• cataloguing,
• indexing,
• document supply?
• How many people at your library are involved in
  these processes today?

18
In an open access world,

• what could be the role of libraries re
• publication policy,
• community customization,
• course ware,
• institutional exposure?
• Will the library confine itself to the place to
  be, socially and intellectually?

19
Did I alarm you (a little)?

• Thank you!