UC Teams Up With Nonprofit Science Journal Publisher

UC joined a prominent nonprofit journal publisher yesterday in a symbolic move to reform the scholarly publishing industry and to protect the library from the skyrocketing price of journal subscriptions.

Co-founded by UC Berkeley professor Michael Eisen, along with a UC Nobel laureate and others, the Public Library of Science offers open access to journals-anyone that has an Internet connection can access them for free cutting-edge research.

"The decision to join (the organization)-clearly one of the leaders in the international movement to create unfettered access to scientific and medical literature-was taken jointly by all of UC's campus libraries," said Beverlee French, director for shared digital collections at UC.

Eisen said the Public Library of Science is a distinct contrast from private firms where journal prices run as high as the cost of a brand-new car for a single year's subscription.

"The current publishing system is irrational and crazy and is starting to have an impact on students and

professors for information," Eisen said. "Something needs to change."

In private companies like Elsevier, researchers contribute papers to journals at a low cost or for free, but then the publisher turns around and sells it back to universities for thousands of dollars, Eisen said.

In his journal, contributors have to pay $1,500 to send in an article, but the publication is free.

"Our model makes far more sense for everyone in the world to get our information regardless of how much money they have," he said.

While the Public Library of Science has won nationwide publicity and the support from more than 100 member universities, Eisen said it has an uphill battle to face.

Professors and researchers choose which journals to send work to by the prestige of the publication. Upstart journals can be overlooked.

"Time will tell, but the stature of the editors is what is critical," French said. "The higher the stature of the editors, the more their colleague's papers they will attract."

Support from prominent universities will count as well, Eisen said. UC's endorsement was one of the most sought-after among the hundreds of potential member universities.

Other major public institutions including the University of Texas and the University of Virginia are among the journal's supporters.

Tags: