In the July issue of its publishing newsletter, Blackwell Publishing reports on the results of a survey that Blackwell and ALPSP conducted on how societies spend their publishing surpluses. Excerpt: "Most respondents subsidise the supply of journals to members in some way. Equal numbers said they provide their journal free of charge or at a reduced price; only three respondents offer their journal at full price....With societies that do their own publishing the average surplus is 18% of journal revenue which is an average 32% of the society’s income. With societies that use a publisher journal revenue is on average 33% of the society’s income. Overall, respondents spend their surplus as a contribution to the general expenses of the organization, followed by re-investment in publishing, subsidy of conference fees and the subsidy of membership subscription. Those that do their own publishing rank re-investment in publishing second, while those that contract out rank this lower (5=). Those that contract out rank subsidy of conferences second, while those that do their own publishing rank this lower (5=). Research grants, bursaries, and reserves and endowments ranked lower. Those that self-publish rank public education third, while those that contract out rank it much lower (8)....In the current debate on Open Access, the importance of journal profits to societies has been mentioned and indeed the right to make such profits has sometimes been questioned. This survey shows the significance of journals in the finances of societies and the benefits to members who use the journals." (Thanks to Elizabeth Lorbeer.)
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.
