Re: Invoking Cloture (Again) on "Serials Crisis = Library Underfunding"

From: Albert Henderson <chessNIC_at_compuserve.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2002 17:53:51 +0100

   [No reply to this, but having given Albert the last word again, we
   will have to invoke cloture yet again, as intemperateness seems to
   have set in. -- S.H.]

On Thu, 12 Sep 2002 Stevan Harnad <harnad_at_ecs.soton.ac.uk> wrote:

> A rare opportunity to agree 100% with everything Albert writes!
>
> ah> It is far more likely that the availability
> ah> of preprints will become another excuse for
> ah> backoffice budget misers to force the
> ah> cancellation of more subscriptions.
>
> True. But fortunately, there will be plenty of institutional windfall
> access-toll savings out of which to pay the remaining essential costs
> -- much reduced, but non-zero -- in the open-online-access era.

It is nice to have such consensus. Unfortunately it is marred by a "but"
which signals a promise often made by Stevan of an economic windfall
that would serve authors and readers.

It has no basis in reality. The record demonstrates no evidence that
"windfall access-toll savings" go to support essential costs. On
the contrary, following the introduction of the plain paper copier
and legislative recognition of fair use, the profitability of higher
education institutions in the U.S. increased by exactly the same amount
that was ruthlessly cut from library spending.

In short, any savings from the use of technology will be claimed as
"productivity" by the lunatics who have taken over the asylum.

Best wishes,

Albert Henderson
Former Editor, PUBLISHING RESEARCH QUARTERLY 1994-2000
<70244.1532_at_compuserve.com>



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Received on Mon Sep 16 2002 - 17:53:51 BST