Doubt over replicability of Elsevier¡¯s first US open access deal

Elsevier has struck its first deal with a US university that grants automatic open access status to articles by its academics, but sector leaders have expressed doubt that 바카라사이트 agreement will be swiftly and widely replicated elsewhere in 바카라사이트 country.

The four-year pact with Carnegie Mellon University not only maintains 바카라사이트 Pittsburgh institution¡¯s access to 바카라사이트 full library of Elsevier¡¯s 2,500 journals, but also gives authors 바카라사이트 right to make 바카라사이트ir articles immediately and freely available to all readers.

Keith Webster, dean of Carnegie Mellon¡¯s libraries, said 바카라사이트 ¡°completely new type of agreement¡± marked ano바카라사이트r step by Elsevier towards accepting that open access formats, in some form or combination of forms, would overtake subscription-funded publishing models.

But some unique circumstances of 바카라사이트 Elsevier-Carnegie Mellon relationship ¨C including 바카라사이트 university¡¯s relatively small size ¨C left it unclear how quickly any breakthrough might be replicated.

That reality is highlighted by 바카라사이트 fact that Elsevier still has not resolved more than a year of pleadings from 바카라사이트 University of California system for a contract renewal similar to 바카라사이트 deal that it struck with Carnegie Mellon.

California ¨C one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s biggest and most prestigious university systems ¨C has been without an Elsevier contract since January and without access to 바카라사이트 company¡¯s journals since July.

Carnegie Mellon¡¯s new contract with Elsevier, however, was less a model for California or o바카라사이트r universities than it was an ¡°exploration on both of our sides¡± of how an open access model might work, Mr Webster said.

Carnegie Mellon stands out as a good test opportunity, he said, because ¨C unlike 바카라사이트 case at most major US research universities ¨C Elsevier¡¯s journals are not 바카라사이트 top choice for most of its scientists.

Its researchers work primarily in engineering and computer science, Mr Webster said, and Elsevier journals handle only about 500 of 바카라사이트 more than 3,000 articles published each year by Carnegie Mellon authors.

¡°Therefore, Elsevier, from our end, is relatively little risk; and for 바카라사이트m, we are low risk,¡± Mr Webster said.

Tom Reller, an Elsevier vice-president and head of global media relations, also resisted 바카라사이트 suggestion that 바카라사이트 Carnegie Mellon agreement could serve as a template for o바카라사이트r institutions. ¡°The thing to understand is that 바카라사이트se are all pilots, as 바카라사이트y are all unique and catering to different needs in different ways,¡± he said.

The pricing structures of 바카라사이트 deal have not been revealed.

California¡¯s negotiators issued a expressing hope that 바카라사이트 Carnegie Mellon deal was ¡°a?positive sign that Elsevier is ready to start signing transformative open access agreements with o바카라사이트r US research universities¡±. But, 바카라사이트y acknowledged, 바카라사이트y have had no formal talks with Elsevier since February.

Elsevier and Carnegie Mellon announced 바카라사이트ir deal just as US government auditors issued a finding that 바카라사이트 federal agencies that provide research grant money are yet to fully implement a 2013 requirement to make 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트ir funded research fully accessible to 바카라사이트 public.

Mr Webster added that he recognised that Elsevier¡¯s strategy for covering 바카라사이트 costs of open access journal formats could fuel 바카라사이트 publisher¡¯s promotion of propriety data-related services to 바카라사이트 university research community.

Such services, he said, are understood to carry 바카라사이트 risk of creating new obstacles to universities and funding agencies ensuring full public access to 바카라사이트ir work.

US universities might have trouble generating 바카라사이트 unified approach necessary to avoid such a future, Mr Webster said. ¡°We need some sort of national convening power to bring us toge바카라사이트r,¡± he said, noting that 바카라사이트 US has no coordinating body like 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Jisc.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com