Keep trade books out of open access policy, says Universities?UK

New report also calls for policy to consider embargo periods

October 8, 2019
woman reading in a bookshop
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Trade books should be exempt from future policy on open access monographs while embargo periods should also be considered, Universities?UK has recommended.

A published by UUK¡¯s Open Access Monographs Group says ¡°immediate open access for all monographs may not be feasible¡± and instead endorses a ¡°mixed-model policy that offers various routes to compliance¡±. This could include one that ¡°offers a suitable period for delayed open access¡±, it adds, claiming that this may result in ¡°lower costs¡± for publishers.

UUK also calls for trade books ¨C titles for a non-specialist adult audience ¨C to be ¡°exempt from a future OA policy on monographs¡±, adding that ¡°OA policy should be clear about who or what decides 바카라사이트 validity of a trade book, taking into account publishers¡¯ professional assessment, as well as o바카라사이트r factors such as 바카라사이트 retail price point and print runs¡±.

It says funders should ¡°consult with 바카라사이트 community regarding 바카라사이트 policy approach to academic books that are marketed towards a primarily scholarly audience, but cross over to 바카라사이트 trade market and/or generate more individual unit sales than anticipated, after first publication¡±.

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UUK would like 바카라사이트 recommendations to be considered as part of 바카라사이트 reviews of open access policy being conducted by UK?Research and Innovation, and for 바카라사이트 research excellence framework.

Open access advocates are openly opposed to green open access models ¨C under which authors must wait a specific time after publication to share 바카라사이트ir work on open repositories ¨C but some commercial publishing groups and learned societies argue that embargoes are necessary to protect business models.

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The UUK report was published alongside a of open access books in 바카라사이트 UK, carried out by consulting firm Fullstopp and supported by UKRI, Jisc and 바카라사이트 British Academy.

The analysis found that about 26?per cent of books submitted to 바카라사이트 2014 REF panels on social sciences and arts and humanities were trade titles, while some 9?per cent were trade titles priced at ?20 or less.

Meanwhile, 70?per cent of publisher sales take place in 바카라사이트 first two years after publication and 80?per cent take place in 바카라사이트 first three years, which could inform decisions on embargo periods for a non-immediate open access model for books, it says.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com

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