learned societies and open access

[Jan Velterop <velterop@biomedcentral.com>]

Apologies for x-posting

'The Guardian' published a letter in its 'Life' supplement this morning
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/opinion/story/0,12981,1220214,00.html; 
text also at the end of this message) about the European Geophysical 
Union publishing their journals with full open access. This is not only 
to be enthusiastically welcomed by the scientific community, but also a 
very strong indication that publishing with open access is *not* beyond 
the possibilities of learned societies with the political will to do 
so, in spite of frequent assertions to the contrary. (Any societies 
that are in principle in favour of going the open access route but find 
building the technological tools and platform daunting or costly, are 
cordially invited to take up contact with us with a view to sharing the 
tried and tested tools and platform of BioMed Central without the need 
for any investment up-front.)

William Sturges, the author of the letter, is unfortunately not quite 
correct (although he may only be speaking for the earth sciences) in 
stating that open access is 'driven' by learned bodies "with for-profit 
publishers running to catch up". If only. Neither societies nor 
commercial publishers are as groups by definition on one side of the 
divide. I would like to remind readers on this list that Open Access 
publishing on a serious scale was first done by a commercial (i.e. 
unsubsidised) publisher: BioMed Central. Most for-profit publishers are 
not exactly "running to catch up" and most societies are not (yet) 
driving the process. 

Another statement in the letter is unfortunately not quite correct, 
either, although, again, may be correct for the earth sciences. That is 
that the EGU journal would be the first "truly" open access one in that 
the peer-review process is open and published as well. In the medical 
sphere, BioMed Central's journals as well as the British Medical 
Journal (BMJ) have been operating along these lines for years.

That said, the EGU step is most significant and welcome.

Jan Velterop
BioMed Central
www.biomedcentral.com
 
The letter:
Thursday May 20, 2004
The Guardian 
"Publishing advance"

Far from "plaintive squeaks" emanating from the learned bodies at the 
coming revolution in scientific publishing (A toenail in the door, May 
6), it is the learned bodies driving the process, with for-profit 
publishers running to catch up. The European Geosciences Union (EGU) 
publishes the first truly "open access" journal in which not only are 
the papers open to free and immediate public scrutiny, but so too is 
everything written about them by the referees, by the authors defending 
themselves, and anybody else wishing to pitch in (www.atmos-chem-
phys.org). Truly a case of full disclosure to a taxpaying public who 
ultimately fund the work. The EGU last month resolved to publish all 
its journals this way in future.

William Sturges
University of East Anglia