From: Kelly Signorelli-Chaplin <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2012 16:21:48 +0100

The Publishers Association releases report detailing the potential
effect of making journals free after a six month embargo

--- Report suggests that libraries would cancel 65% of AHSS[1] and 44%
of STM[2] journal subscriptions ---

--- Libraries and Publishers need to work towards a mutually
attractive publishing model ---

-- The Publishers Association argues for ‘Gold’ Model of Open Access –

London, 1 June 2012 – ‘The potential effect of making journals free
after a six month embargo[3]’, a report commissioned by The Publishers
Association and the Association of Learned, Professional and Society
Publishers [ALPSP], found that an across-the-board mandate might have
a material effect on libraries’ subscriptions; and that the impact on
publishers’ revenues would be considerable. Higher Education
Institutions’ libraries may be impacted by the collapse or scaling
down of academic publishing houses. The world’s most distinguished
research institutions would, the report suggests, be impacted the
most, since published outputs are essential for the work carried out
by their researchers. The reports’ results indicate that STM
publishers could expect to retain full subscriptions from 56% of
libraries, compared with 35% for AHSS publishers.

Commenting on the findings of the report, Graham Taylor, Director of
Educational, Academic and Professional Publishing at The Publishers
Association, said: “We need a sustainable publishing model which is
mutually attractive for both publishers and libraries. The findings of
the report are testament to the fact that a six month embargo period
is too short for the ‘green’ model of open access. The Publishers
Association is in full support of a funded version of open access as
we hope will be recommended by the report of the Finch Committee,
which is expected to be published shortly”.

Audrey McCulloch, Chief Executive of The Association of Learned,
Professional and Society Publishers, said: “ALPSP is very concerned
about the effect this may have on non-profit publishers, many of whom
may not survive.  The responses in the report show that the ‘green’
model of open access will reduce the number of journals and thus
choice available to academics.   Learned societies rely on income from
their publishing activities - how will this affect them and the
services they provide?  ALPSP will only support appropriately funded
publishing models, such as the current subscription model or the
‘gold’ open access model”.

The report documents the results of a survey carried out to obtain a
significant body of information on how the acquisitions policies of
libraries might be affected by an across-the-board mandate to make
journals articles free of charge six months after publication. The
report analyses the results of responses from 210 libraries across the
world who were asked whether they would continue to subscribe to
research journals were their content freely available within six
months of publication. Libraries were asked to send separate responses
for Scientific, Technical and Medical (STM) journals and Arts,
Humanities and Social Sciences journals (AHSS).

Notes to Editors

The Publishers Association

The Publishers Association is the leading trade organisation serving
book, journal, audio and electronic publishers in the UK. Membership
is comprised of 117 companies from across the trade, academic and
education sectors.  Its core service is representation and lobbying,
around copyright, rights and other matters relevant to members, who
represent roughly 80% of the industry by turnover.
www.publishers.org.uk

The Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP)

The Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP)
is the international organization for non-profit publishers. It has a
broad and diverse membership of over 300 organizations in 37 countries
who collectively publish over half of the world’s total active
journals as well as books, databases and other products. ALPSP's
mission is to connect, train and inform the scholarly and professional
publishing community and to play an active part in shaping the future
of academic and scholarly communication.

www.alpsp.org

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[1] Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

[2] Scientific, Technical and Medical

[3] The report has been prepared by Linda Bennett of Gold Leaf