From: "John P. Abbott" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:18:30 -0500
From: Sean Andrews <[log in to unmask]>
> I think the author's point is that this is a cop out when a colleague
> is asking for your help in what continues to be a widely accepted
> enterprise. In this case, the labor may ultimately benefit large
> publishing houses, but on a different scale, it is also benefiting
> your colleagues, your discipline, etc.
Any benefit to a large publishing house islikely not what is
afoot in a decline in the numbers of those willing to act
as peer-reviewers. The issue is more likely found in the
the current rewards structure in the university.
Contributions to the discipline through peer-review were once
seen as important work and rewarded. Must less so now.
Holding an Editor post is continues to be well-regarded and there
is a big gold-star in it. A place on a journal's Board has some
merit. Both place the university's name on the front pages
(in the paper journal world...).
Being in the blind peer-review pool is worth less now, other than
in the highest-tier of journals. It is largely anonymous work, time-
consuming if done well, and unrewarded other than getting
a warm feeling and having an opportunity occasionally to have an
early glimpse of interesting work. With finite time available,
a faculty member is better served to work on grants, presentations,
articles, and networking with subdiscipline colleagues. All that
brings more reward to their c.v. at evaluation time. A c.v. line
saying: Manuscript peer-reviewer, Journal of ____________
receives little notice.
But, then again, maybe what drives this decline in rewards for
reviewing is indeed that it is perceived by the rewards system
as freebie work for large profitable corporations rather
than a indigent scholarly society. Perhaps administrators and colleagues
wonder if anyone but a benighted fool would give away their time
and intellectual treasure for apparently nothing. Such is the neo-Ayn Rand
world of today?
John
John P. Abbott, MS MSLS
Associate Professor & Coordinator, Collection Management
University Library
Appalachian State University
ASU Box 32026
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