Open Access Research | Hope of the Earth

abernard102@gmail.com 2013-04-01

Summary:

I recently had my first ever peer-reviewed scientific manuscript published in an internationally known journal (woo!).  When I found out that it would soon be available online, I called my mom to tell her about it.  “I can’t wait to read it!”  When she said this, I was struck with a sudden realization that made my heart sink:  she wouldn’t have access to it. Now, of course my own mom is going to get to read my article; I’ll send her the darn proofs myself.  But the truth is, if she were to simply Google the article she would be directed to the publisher, who would offer her the abstract and the opportunity to purchase the full article… for about the price of dinner out for her and Dad. Not everyone has to pay for access to scientific publications.  If you are affiliated with an institution that has a big library, chances are good that they’ve subscribed to the publication you want ...  Of course, as an author I have full access to my own article once I login, but you get the point.  I should also point out that as part of the U of MN’s duty to serve the public which funds it, their subscription allows anyone – whether they have a University login name and password or not – to access the full online journal library from any University library computer.  However, that requires living near a U of MN library; and most people in the state don’t have that convenience.  The exclusive nature of most peer-reviewed scientific work troubled me throughout my five years working in academia, and it continued to trouble me after I got off the phone with my mother and wandered down to the Student Center on campus for some food.  On my way back, there were two women standing on the sidewalk who were clearly soliciting something.  One was securing a long, vivid orange cape to her neck, which had caught the breeze and was flowing out behind her like a tongue of Promethean fire; they both wore bright orange shirts that read, 'Open Access – Greater Reach for Research.'  Hello, Perfect Timing – we meet again!  I had only encountered the term “open access” in the last couple of years, mostly in reference to computer software.  I liked the idea behind it, that some technologies are – or should be – public goods, and that anyone should be able to access them regardless of ability to pay.  In one of those rare moments of pure serendipity, I happened to be mulling the term over in my head after my conversation with my mom, wondering how we could make science “open access,” when I encountered these ladies.  They were librarians.  The soliciting bit, as part of Open Access Week, was to drum up some attention for a new scholarship program that would help U authors cover the (exorbitant) costs associated with making their articles 'open access' in journals that allowed such a thing, but also to raise awareness in general about the current problems with the fee structure of scientific journals.  I do realize that journals need to make money to survive as an outlet for research, and there is still quite a bit that I need to learn about how the fee structures of journals work.  But how sustainable is the current model anyway, with fees so high that only large, well-funded institutions can afford to pay them (and even then, not always)?  It seems absurd that an individual should expect to pay over $40 for a 15 page article, especially when the authors aren’t seeing a dime of that money.  As a scientist, and as a former researcher at a Land Grant University, I see myself as a public servant.  My work for the article mentioned above was publicly funded through the USDA-Forest Service, and thus in my mind belongs to the public.  Apparently, I am not the only one that feels this way.  Last month, in response to a 'We the People' petition, the Obama Administration issued a Policy Memorandum to make all federally-funded research freely available to the public one year after publication.  The memo also called for better management of digital data from this research ..."

Link:

http://hopeoftheearth.wordpress.com/2013/03/24/open-access-research/

From feeds:

Open Access Tracking Project (OATP) » abernard102@gmail.com

Tags:

oa.new oa.data oa.gold oa.business_models oa.publishers oa.comment oa.mandates oa.usa oa.green oa.advocacy oa.petitions oa.libraries oa.events oa.students oa.sustainability oa.librarians oa.funders oa.fees oa.funds oa.u.minnesota oa.ostp oa.oa_week oa.access2research oa.obama_directive oa.repositories oa.policies oa.journals oa.economics_of

Date tagged:

04/01/2013, 16:08

Date published:

04/01/2013, 12:08