While open access archives are not primarily designed for the benefit
of publishers, there are indeed advantages to publishers arising from
open access archives.
One of the advantages is that archives are designed for archiving or
preservation, in addition to providing access. For some publishers,
this could be THE solution to preservation of the journal's
contents. This advantage will be most effective where publishers are
working cooperatively to place entire journal runs in archives, as
with the PubMedCentral journals.
Open access archives, whether instittuional or disciplinary in
nature, can also act as the host site for journals. This is most
likely to be of interest to newer or smaller publishers.
There are probably a number of opportunities for synergies between
open access archives and traditional publishers. Here is an
interesting example, from RePEc and the American Economics Association:
"RePEc is at the beginning of an exciting new cycle of growth, again
through collaboration. In this case, the new archives tradition has
found a way to work together with the traditional publisher in a way
that benefits both. The American Economics Association has been
collecting information about working papers for years, but their
collection was not as comprehensive as RePEc's. Now, information
about RePEC is being added directly to the Association's EconLit.
Why would a volunteer-based organization like RePEc choose to give
away their work to a profit-making publisher for free? Because, says
Thomas Krichel, this works to the advantage of both: EconLit is more
valuable, and placing your work in RePEc is the best way to ensure
your working papers are included in EconLit, which enhances the
success of RePEc."
From: Thomas Krichel, a Man with Ideas and Drive, OA Librarian:
http://oalibrarian.blogspot.com/2006/02/thomas-krichel-man-with-ideas-
and.html
Heather Morrison
E-LIS Editor, Canada
http://eprints.rclis.org/
Received on Thu Jun 29 2006 - 23:21:15 BST