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Excerpts from the RCUK announcement:
"This study got off the ground in mid-April 2006 and should conclude
by the middle of summer. It is being undertaken on behalf of the
three joint funders by Electronic Publishing Services Ltd (EPS), in
association with Loughborough University Department of Information
Science. The aim is to assist in UK domestic policy-making, by
reviewing information about scholarly journal publishing, assessing
the data available about the process and the reliability of that data.
"The main purpose of the study is to gain more reliable information
about the operation of the journal publishing aspects of the
scholarly communications process and its costs. The study focuses
specifically on journal publishing, but it should be viewed in the
context of a projected body of work involving all key stakeholders
in the context of the scholarly communications framework. This is
likely to include related but separate studies of other aspects of
scholarly communications, including for instance the development,
funding and viability of digital repositories.
"The key objective of the project is to provide the three sponsors of
the study, and other stakeholders in the scholarly journals industry,
with an accurate review of reliable and objective information about
the journals publishing process....
"Scholarly journal publishing is a key component of the spectrum
of functions and activities that form part of the scholarly
communications process. This has been the focus of much interest
lately, in particular because of the considerable interest generated
by recent debates on open access. Although this level of debate has
provided a welcome opportunity to consider challenges relating to the
dissemination of research outputs, it has also been characterised by
a degree of mutual suspicion and misunderstanding stemming from the
often conflicting positions of the different actors and stakeholders
with an interest in these issues. There has also been tension over
the quality and completeness of the information and data that the
different stakeholders have used in support of their respective
positions. As a result of these tensions and suspicions, it has
been difficult to achieve a consensus on how best to exploit
the potential of new technology for enhancing the scholarly
communications process and its cost-effectiveness. This has had
implications for the development of public policy, as evidenced by
the debates surrounding the Wellcome Trust's policy on open access,
and the delay in agreeing a definitive RCUK position statement.
"In this context, there is a clear need for objective information that
all stakeholders can agree upon as a means of defining and achieving
common goals in scholarly communications. The DTI-sponsored Research
Communications Forum has provided a useful arena for the exchange of
information and views. The recently-created scholarly communications
group facilitated by the RIN will work collaboratively to identify key
issues in scholarly communications and gaps in our understanding,
and to develop a better, evidence-based understanding of these
issues - for instance, the development, funding and viability of
digital repositories - as a basis for informing public policy.
This group includes representatives of all the key stakeholders
(notably the Research Councils, the library community, publishers,
the RIN and key Government Departments such as the DTI and OST).
The current study, focused on scholarly journal publishing - which
has been the focus of some of the more lively debate - will be timely
contribution to the development of understanding in the field of
scholarly communications as a whole."
Received on Wed Apr 26 2006 - 20:09:42 BST
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