An assumption here is that The Code of Transfer is going to make a significant difference to the frequency of transfers. Unlikely and perhaps unprovable. An increase in transfers alone won't be sufficient proof.
There is nothing new about journals changing publisher and the drivers for accelerated change are already out there. What the code can do is eliminate or reduce the worst effects of change of publisher on access to the literature in a online environment. There is a good chance that the UKSG Working Group's efforts will achieve just that.
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Neil Renison - Librarian (Acquisitions Services)
Information Resources
James Cook University
Townsville QLD 4811 Australia.
Email: Neil.Renison@jcu.edu.au
Phone: (07) 4781 5073 Fax: (07) 4781 5886
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Joseph J. Esposito wrote:
Of course. But if a price increase were the solution to sustainability, then a journal could have raised prices without a transfer. The Code of Transfer is not a demon, nor is it an angel. It is, like the internal combustion engine, a fascinating innovation whose full implications may not be understood for some time. If I were representing a large publisher, I would say, Go for it! If I were representing a small publisher, I would say, Uh, oh! If I were an author, I would say, Who cares? And if I were a librarian, I would ask, Why is it that just about every innovation (your list here) that is developed to help me winds up deepening my budgetary mess and somehow or other lines the pockets of the large commercial publishers? Joe Esposito