[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: AAAS and JSTOR issues

David,

I respectfully say that you've misunderstood my point; no doubt I wasn't clear.

JStor's mandate is to serve non-profit customers only. I'm glad for that--it keeps this wonderful product affordable for the academic community.

AAAS, also a non-profit, serves a wider community that includes the for-profit sector: its mission statement indicates global engagement, as you noted. If AAAS used only JStor as an outlet for its online Science archive, it would not be able to provide it to the for-profit segment of its community. To fulfill its mission, AAAS must find an alternative for **that part of its audience**.

Nowhere did I say that AAAS ought to be making money, nor do I assume that they plan to do so. My suggestion is that AAAS continue to work with JStor to serve the non-profit community in the manner to which we've happily become accustomed. Let AAAS use another means to make the Science archive available to its for-profit audience. Hopefully at cost only.

I applaud AAAS serving a wide community. I find it frustrating when some other information providers demonstrate a profound lack of interest in serving the academic community; fairness dictates that I not then ask that AAAS leave out another market as long as it serves mine. And, frankly, I am heartened that AAAS's mission includes the widest audience because I want its values of science for societal good and integrity in science to infiltrate the corporate sector (much more to my taste than science in service to robber barons) as well as being a strong component of science education.

I'd also like the Science archive to remain affordable and accessible through JStor for our community.

Thanks for your kind patience,


Elizabeth E. Kirk
Associate Librarian for Information Resources
Dartmouth College Library
Hanover, NH 03755-3525
Elizabeth.E.Kirk@dartmouth.edu


On Sep 11, 2007, at 6:38 PM, David Carlson wrote:

As my letter to AAAS tried to make clear, the key issue in this decision ought to be mission. Yes, AAAS is a nonprofit with a broad mission. I also agree that AAAS needs to be successful operationally in its business affairs, but its mission as a non-profit is not to make money. Its mission is to advance science and serve society, as its web site reminds us on every darn page.

I am sure that on occasion in the history of any organization, decisions are necessary that may be viewed, at some levels, in opposition to mission. But any decision that is contradictory to mission (as I believe the JSTOR withdrawal decision clearly represents) ought to be rare (first and foremost), carefully considered and justified relative to mission. In my judgment, the JSTOR withdrawal rationale posted on the AAAS web site is stunningly weak in its rationale and justification with no recognition that it represents a departure from mission.

-- David

-----Original Message-----
[mailto:owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Kirk
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2007 5:28 PM
To: liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
Subject: Re: AAAS and JSTOR issues

I, too, am disappointed in the withdrawal of Science from JStor.
JStor has been and continues to be one of the very best projects
to take advantage of the Internet.

There is a key difference, however, in the missions of AAAS and
JStor. JStor is dedicated to serving the public and non-profit
sectors (to the best of my knowledge, and I speak from
experience, JStor does not grant licenses to for-profit
institutions). AAAS, itself a non-profit, has a broader mission
and broader audience. If AAAS maintains an exclusive relationship
with JStor, it would not be possible for its profit-side audience
to enjoy access to Science archives.

If JStor were to become AAAS's vendor for non-profit and
government agencies, all sides of the equation might be well
served---AAAS's broader audience would have access to the archive
through other means and JStor would be able to keep this title
and its mandate.

If I am speaking through my hat, I welcome the correction of
someone closer to either party.

Cheers,

Elizabeth E. Kirk
Associate Librarian for Information Resources
Dartmouth College Library
6025 Baker-Berry Library, Rm. 115
Hanover, NH 03755-3525
telephone: (603) 646-9929
fax: (603) 646-3702
Elizabeth.E.Kirk@dartmouth.edu


On Sep 7, 2007, at 8:56 PM, dcarlson@lib.siu.edu wrote:

It does not seem to have garnered much listserv attention, but
I think most liblicense readers are aware of the AAAS decision
to withdraw its premier publication, Science magazine, from
JSTOR. I was very disappointed with this decision. I recently
sent a letter to the chair of AAAS, John Holdren, expressing my
concerns and my hope that AAAS would reconsider its decision. A
copy of my letter is below in plain and simple (but easily
exchanged) ASCII text.

[stuff deleted....]