From: Brian Simboli <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2019 09:30:40 -0400

Some questions, if I may.

1.  Has anyone collected current data about author charges imposed across STEM areas to publish one's manuscript *non-open access*?

So much of the focus appears to be on APCs defined as charges to publish one's article OA, but what of traditional author charges for non-OA (toll access) publication?  If memory serves, years ago I talked to someone in earth sciences who heard about APCs but said, well, we've always been paying to publish!  If that is true, again, what are the current trends in author charges for non-OA publishing of articles--not just for color illustrations or plates, but also merely to publish one's article shorn of any such enhancements?

Also: of those journals that are not entirely OA but that offer an author's choice to publish OA at a fee, what proportion of them also have author charges if they don't exercise the OA option? That is, cases of hybrid journals, to which OA charges are superadded to already existing "traditional" author charges?

(I'm avoiding use of terminology like "gold publishing", given the usual terminological complexity that attends such terms.)

It does seem like traditional author charges just to publish toll access don't get much attention, and they should, if we're to fully grasp the economic complexities of journal publishing.

2.  Re. APC's,  I noticed the claim here 


that "APCs are already rising faster than inflation when fully open access journals make up around 15-20% of the market for journals or articles, so imagine what could happen if demand was increased further by Plan S-style mandates."  

In my view, if true, there are absolutely no surprises there. After all, there was never any reason why the pricing of APCs would not reflect the price dynamics of toll access publishing. Anyhow, assuming that there is inflationary pressure in APCs, are there similar inflationary pressure to impose charges on authors for non-OA publication of their articles (in the way described above)?

3. Am I right that the term APC is used across the industry *solely* for OA publication of articles, and not more "traditional" author charges? It appears to be the case.

Thanks 

--
Brian Simboli
Science, Mathematics, and Psychology Librarian
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Lehigh University
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