More on the BertelsmannSpringer-KAP merger....The Information Access Alliance, a consortium of six US library organizations, is urging the Justice Department to block Cinven and Candover's acquisition of BertelsmannSpringer. Quoting the press release: "The Alliance is concerned that this transaction will bring about a reduction in access to critical research information." Quoting James Neal, Vice President for Information Services and University Librarian at Columbia University: "History shows that when journal publishers merge, consumers suffer. The increased market power resulting from recent mergers has allowed publishers to boost prices. This has led to subscription cancellations, which deprive scientists of access to basic tools they need to conduct research." Quoting David Shulenburger, Provost at the University of Kansas: "The scientific research that journals support and document is a key contributor to the quality of life and economic well-being of our nation. The erosion of access to research not only poses a risk to tomorrow's discoveries, but because the U.S. government spends $100 billion annually on research, it reduces the American taxpayers' return on investment. It is a situation that urgently needs to be addressed." (Thanks to ResourceShelf.)
Posted by
Peter Suber at 5/31/2003 10:54:00 AM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
