With Gov't Deadline Looming, AAP Outlines Public Access Plans
abernard102@gmail.com 2013-08-25
Summary:
Notably, the directive, which public access supporters have officials have called 'historic,' came just days after Congress introduced The Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act (FASTR), a bill that would also mandate public access to publicly-funded federal research. But while the AAP supports the White House directive to open up federal research, it strongly opposes the passage of FASTR. AAP officials say, the language of the White House directive 'recognizes that publishers provide valuable services,' and encourages 'public-private partnerships.' On the other hand, AAP officials have labeled FASTR, a wasteful government program that would impose a nightmare of regulatory burden on researchers and duplicate activity from publishers, and 'would threaten the role publishers play in vetting, producing, establishing and preserving the integrity of scientific works.' While supoprting the White House directive, Public Access advocates also continue to support FASTR which extends previous legislative efforts, like FRPAA, by seeking to enable data mining across the 'full range of articles' funded by federal tax dollars. This is a crucial step, FASTR supporters say, noting that enabling computers to “highlight patterns, links, and associations that would otherwise go undiscovered” could add value to and revolutionize the research process. In a statement this week, AAP officials reiterated their support for the White House directive. 'AAP remains supportive of [the White House OSTP] work to expand public access to federally-funded research and we look forward to continuing our ongoing involvement in this thoughtful process,' reads an AAP statement. 'The publishing community welcomes renewed opportunities to work with OSTP and all stakeholders in moving these shared goals forward.'
AAP officials add that they believe CHORUS will provide 'a full solution' for agencies to comply with the provisions of the White House directive, 'while building on publishers’ existing, proven infrastructure; avoiding duplication of effort; minimizing taxpayer cost; and ensuring the critical sustainability of the scholarly communication system.' A 'Proof of Concept' will be released on August 30, AAP adds, and a pilot could be underway by the end of September."