Fwd: Re: Guide for the Perplexed (about how to inspire institutions to adopt Green OA self-archiving mandates)
Begin forwarded message:
> From: Arthur Sale ahjs -- OZEMAIL.COM.AU
> Date: March 23, 2010 12:37:10 AM EDT (CA)
> Subject: Re: Guide for the Perplexed (about how to inspire
> institutions to adopt Green OA self-archiving mandates)
>
> Perhaps I can add something to this discussion. The reason we know
> that
> mandates are the only way to get repositories full is simple- it
> works and
> nothing else does.
>
> Long experience over many years has consistently proven that
> persuading
> academics to deposit their papers is a Sisyphean task. A few
> academics stay
> persuaded, but the persuasion for most wears off after a while, and
> the
> persuaded academics drop out. The balance seems to be around 15%,
> maybe
> slightly higher like 20% where the benefits are more obvious.
> Neither level
> is satisfying and no-one has found any good argument for persuasion
> as a
> strategy, except as a route to a mandate.
>
> Let's not get hung up about mandates. Academics are mandated all the
> time.
> Indeed it is an intrinsic part of what it means to be an academic.
> They are
> required to turn up to scheduled lectures. They are required to set
> exam
> papers, and even worse to mark them. Most academics are required to
> undergo
> performance management evaluation, or to go through promotion
> procedures to
> proceed in rank. Academics are required not to molest their students
> or show
> personal preferences. When things like the RAE/REF are contemplated,
> academics are required to take part. Academics are also required to
> publish
> their research. Academics happily mandate that their students must
> submit
> assignments on time, and turn up to exams. I could keep going on for
> quite a
> long time...
>
> The only immediate solution in this transitional time is deposit
> mandates.
> Once mandates are universal, they become the community norm but a
> mandate
> nonetheless.
>
> Arthur Sale
> University of Tasmania
> Australia
Received on Tue Mar 23 2010 - 10:57:48 GMT
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