From: Danny Kingsley <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thu, 4 Jul 2019 08:17:31 +1000

<More cross posting. I’m not quite as cross as before>

Hello,

Yesterday Rick Anderson wrote our discussion on this issue up into a
post on the Scholarly Kitchen: "They Know We Know They Know: Does
Sci-Hub Affect Library Subscriptions?"
https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2019/07/03/they-know-we-know-they-know-does-sci-hub-affect-library-subscriptions/

Because of the time difference it was published overnight for me, so
my response is number 46, and therefore buried. To give it some
clearer air, I am sending it out here.

******************************************

Hi all, I would like to point out that the original reason why I
started this discussion has been lost somewhat in the diversion to an
argument about SciHub. The point I was making was that publishers use
the "green open access = cancellation" argument to justify embargoes
on author's accepted manuscripts deposited to institutional
repositories. Embargoes cause a huge amount of extra work for
libraries who (despite the implications inherent in some of the SciHub
arguments that they rely on the use of pirated material to make
budgetary decision) work within the law and abide by these publisher
requirements.

My argument is there is no real justification for embargoes. Having
authors accepted manuscripts in institutional repositories do not, in
any way, shape or form, affect subscription decisions. Publishers are
far more concerned about SciHub and ResearchGate - as the swift
deflection of the discussion to these on Liblicense attests. Neither
SciHub nor ResearchGate observe embargoes. In the case of SciHub the
material being made available is exclusively the Version of Record,
and that is also the majority of material in ResearchGate.

*I am asking for a moratorium on embargoes on author's accepted
manuscripts.* Let's call it and just get rid of them. Academic
libraries worldwide (who are, after all the primary customers of
academic publishers) will be extremely grateful.
********************

I am not saying there are not really important issues and discussions
we need to have about ResearchGate and SciHub. But it is irritating
that the expensive and problematic (for libraries) embargo issue is
being ignored in the process.

I wonder if the THE even have a clue this discussion is going on as a
result of their original story?

Danny

Dr Danny Kingsley
Scholarly Communication Consultant
e: [log in to unmask]
m: +61 (0)480 115 937
t:@dannykay68
o: 0000-0002-3636-5939