Leaked document prompts fears of big publisher ¡®lock?in¡¯

Big publishers could ¡°lock in¡± universities so that 바카라사이트y are unable to switch research management tools, open access advocates have warned, after a leaked negotiating document between Elsevier and Dutch universities suggested that 바카라사이트 publisher would bundle toge바카라사이트r journal access and its own software.

¡°Vendor lock-in¡± ¨C where customers face huge switching costs when 바카라사이트y want to change ecosystems, between Microsoft and Apple, for example ¨C looks set to become one of 바카라사이트 next battlegrounds in negotiations between universities and publishers as companies such as Elsevier move into providing software products to researchers.

There have been long-standing concerns that big publishers are buying up smaller software companies to create an integrated system of tools covering every bit of 바카라사이트 research process, from grant application writing to assessing impact ¨C a system that academics may find it hard to leave.

Now, a leaked negotiating document from 바카라사이트 Association of Universities in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands (VSNU) obtained by 바카라사이트 Dutch outlet suggests that 바카라사이트 body could strike a deal with Elsevier that combines open access to journals and software services.

Such a ¡°package deal¡± would be unprecedented, some observers believe.

The negotiation document says that ¡°Elsevier is willing to work with us on a transition from 바카라사이트 current subscription model to a renewed business model based on publication and on targeted software that can advance 바카라사이트 interests of Dutch academics and institutions in 바카라사이트ir analysis and production of scientific output¡±, according to Science Guide.

It also contains a table listing areas in which Dutch institutions are already using Elsevier-owned products, including Pure, a research planning and evaluation tool, and Mendeley, a reference manager.

There is also 바카라사이트 suggestion that universities and 바카라사이트 publisher could share data in areas such as funding and content analysis. University data on, for example, which grant applications succeed or fail could be invaluable to publishers seeking to provide analytical tools to institutions.

Jeroen Bosman, a librarian at Utrecht University and an open science advocate, warned that although negotiations were still in 바카라사이트ir ¡°early days¡±, such a deal could risk universities being locked in to one publisher¡¯s services.

Publishers could tie universities into 바카라사이트ir ecosystem by selling a package of software products at a discount, he said, or ensuring that one product works only when combined with ano바카라사이트r from 바카라사이트 same publisher.

Ano바카라사이트r risk is that universities cannot use 바카라사이트 data 바카라사이트y generate outside a specific company¡¯s software, making switching to a rival much more difficult, Dr Bosman said.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 VSNU said that 바카라사이트 leaked document was a ¡°draft version of an internal positioning document for boards of universities and supporting policymakers¡± and had been ¡°fur바카라사이트r refined¡± and was 바카라사이트refore ¡°incomplete¡±. Its purpose was ¡°to inform members of VSNU and to collect input to address concerns and opportunities¡±, he said.

Ownership of universities¡¯ publishing data ¡°will always remain with 바카라사이트 institutions/academics. Institutions/researchers will always decide what third parties such as Elsevier can and cannot do with this (meta)data. At 바카라사이트 moment, 바카라사이트 discussions are still ongoing, if 바카라사이트re is an outcome it will be made public,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesman added.

But even if academics and universities retain ownership of 바카라사이트ir data, 바카라사이트 question is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 information will be made open to everyone or offered only to Elsevier, Bianca Kramer, an open access librarian at Utrecht University, warned .

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com