 |
 |
A forward from FICINO: I think Germaine's introduction is all that's needed here. A. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 14 Jun 1995 18:38:28 -0400 From: Germaine Warkentin <[log in to unmask]> To: Multiple recipients of list FICINO <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Scholary Journals at the Crossroads The debate referred to here did not, if I recall correctly, surface on FICINO, but will be of interest to Ficinians, especially Canadian ones, where the publication of scholarly journals is facing radical re-structuring, as events at the recent meetings of the Learned Societies in Montreal made apparent. GW Forwarded message: > From [log in to unmask] Wed Jun 14 18:09:19 1995 > Message-Id: <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Wed, 14 Jun 1995 17:42:45 -0400 > Reply-To: Scholarly Editing Forum <[log in to unmask]> > Sender: Scholarly Editing Forum <[log in to unmask]> > From: Ann Okerson <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Scholary Journals at the Crossroads > X-To: [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], > [log in to unmask] > To: Multiple recipients of list SEDIT-L <[log in to unmask]> > > The attached release describes a new book that features a provocative > discussion about the future of scholarly journals -- in particular, > it explores the possibility of a re-designed journal system that > is author-driven, whose cost are borne at the "front end" of the process, > and whose output is readily available to the world at large via > electronic networks. Pros and cons of such a system are debated > by scholars, librarians, and publishing experts. Please excuse the > cross-postings. > > Ann Okerson/Association of Research Libraries > [log in to unmask] > _________________ > > > ASSOCIATION OF RESEARCH LIBRARIES > PRESS RELEASE > June 15, 1995 > > > Book Explores a Subversive Future for Scholarly Journals > > > ARL's Office of Scientific and Academic Publishing announces the > publication of Scholarly Journals at the Crossroads: A Subversive > Proposal for Electronic Publishing. This book captures an Internet > discussion about scientific and scholarly journals and their future that > took place on a number of electronic forums starting in June 1994 and > peaking in the fall. Subsequent electronic conversations between the > principals and interested parties continue until now (the last message > captured in the book is dated March 21, 1995). Given the powerful > opportunities that electronic networking technologies offer to scholars > and scientists, the future of publishing will be debated for years to > come. This book is one attempt to capture a key conversation between > the stakeholders in scholarly communications. > > Six principal discussants and about two dozen others advance > radical and traditional views; they argue for overhaul of journal > publication systems or advocate careful preservation of traditional > values and roles. Will electronic technologies save us from the > economic pressures of the current papyrocentric publishing system or > will they be more expensive than we dreamed? In his "Overture to the > Subversive Proposal," Stevan Harnad (Cognitive Scientist, University of > Southampton) writes, "For centuries, it was only out of reluctant > necessity that authors of esoteric publications entered into the > Faustian Bargain of allowing a price tag to be erected as a barrier > between their work and its intended readership, for that was the only > way they could make their work public at all during the age when paper > publication was their only option." > > Lorrin Garson (pioneer and leader in electronic publishing at > the American Chemical Society) responds, "I would like to suggest that > publishing electronic journals is in fact going to be more expensive > than printing. The collection, maintenance and dissemination of these > data will be more costly than printing, but the information will be much > more valuable to the scientific community. Of course, when we get to > this point we won't be publishing journals; the output will be called > something else." Paul Ginsparg (Los Alamos National Laboratories), > Bernard Naylor (Librarian, University of Southampton), Andrew Odlyzko > (AT&T Bell Labs), and Frank Quinn (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and > State University) also offer thoughtful essays and provocative > viewpoints. > > Scholarly Journals at the Crossroads makes publishing history. > It is the first time that a book derived from a series of wide-ranging > Internet discussions on a scholarly topic recreates (insofar as > possible) an e-mail experience for a general academic and publishing > audience. > > In their Conclusion, Ann Okerson (ARL) and James O'Donnell > (Professor of Classics, University of Pennsylvania), the editors of this > 9-month long networked conversation write, "This is a book about hope > and imagination in one corner of the emerging landscape of cyberspace. > It embraces passionate discussion of an idea for taking to the Internet > to revolutionize one piece of the world of publishing." > > The book includes a detailed table of contents, specially > written introductory and concluding chapters by the co-editors, a > "hyperlink" bibliography showing where materials in the book can be read > on the Internet, and a glossary of terms used by the discussants. > > The Association of Research Libraries is a not-for-profit > organization representing 119 research libraries in the United States > and Canada. Its mission is to shape and influence forces affecting the > future of research libraries in the process of scholarly communication. > ARL programs and services promote equitable access to, and effective use > of recorded knowledge in support of teaching, research, scholarship, and > community service. These programs include annual statistical > publications, federal relations and information policy, and enhancing > access to scholarly information resources through telecommunications, > collection development, preservation, and bibliographic control. The > Office of Scientific and Academic Publishing works to identify and > influence the forces affecting the production, dissemination, and use of > scholarly and scientific information. > > The book is produced in 7 x 10 format, paperbound, in 250 pages. > Its ISBN number is: 0-918006-26-0 > > The raw source files from which the Subversive Book is derived > can be found on the Internet as follows: > > ftp to the site ftp.princeton.edu > cd pub/harnad/Psycoloquy/Subversive.Proposal > > To contact the editors: > > Ann Okerson ([log in to unmask]) > James O'Donnell ([log in to unmask]) > > > All other inquiries: > > Patricia Brennan > Information Services Coordinator > Association of Research Libraries > 21 Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 800 > Washington, DC 20036 > [log in to unmask] > phone: 202-296-2296 > fax: 202-872-0884