From: Jan Velterop <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2011 09:57:53 +0000


Thanks, John, for pointing out where my metaphor breaks down. Pricing
would indeed be as you indicate, if there was a market mechanism.
Unfortunately, the subscription model simply doesn't allow that with
regard to non-rivalrous (i.e. monopoloid) information such as
scientific articles.

Jan Velterop
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On 7 Dec 2011, at 01:27, LIBLICENSE wrote:

From: "John P. Abbott" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2011 09:40:26 -0500

Jan-

No problem with the edifice, only price the portions accordingly:
The strong foundation of mediocre journals priced
like earthen fill and crushed rock; and the few curlicues at
the turret tops priced as artisans' works.

John


John P. Abbott, MS MSLS
Associate Professor&  Coordinator, Collection Management
University Library
Appalachian State University
ASU Box  32026
218 College Street
Boone, NC  28608

828-262-2821 (vox)
828-262-2773 (fax)
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On 12/5/2011 7:20 PM, LIBLICENSE wrote:


From: Jan Velterop<[log in to unmask]>

Date: Sat, 3 Dec 2011 09:05:58 +0000


In defence of mediocre journals, let me delight you with a quote from
José Ortega y Gasset's 'The Revolt of the Masses': "Experimental
science has progressed – thanks in great part to the work of men
astoundingly mediocre, and even less than mediocre."  (The Ortega
hypothesis)


To which Lewis Wolpert in his book 'The Unnatural Nature of Science'
(required reading, in my view – ISBN 0-571-16490-0): "Science
accommodates and even needs the intellectually commonplace."

To which I would add my assumption that none of that mediocre and
commonplace, but necessary, science is published in 'prestige'
journals. It follows then that the mediocre and even less than
mediocre journals in which that material is presumably published, are
necessary too.

I see science publications as an edifice, with turrets and curlicues
at the top (articles published in the likes of Nature and Science),
solid walls (consisting of articles in the better journals), and a
strong foundation of hard core (consisting of articles in mediocre and
less than mediocre journals). Without this foundation, the edifice
would collapse.

Jan Velterop