The Cost of Knowledge - Boycotting Elsevier
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/S06_351.cws_home/main
Hmmm some PS prof have signed and it seems to be getting press but there are 2 sides to this. I care less about cost and more about open access…though in my own self interest I always wish libraries had more $ to by books (mine).
Thought it relevant to raise here - anyone joined in yet?
Elsevier Political science journals:
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/S06_351.cws_home/main
^What the hell are you talking about?
PB < C
What I am talking about is joking refered to as "the academic spring"
http://www.economist.com/node/21545974
or
http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/02/thousands-of-scientists-vow-to-b.html
A movement to boycott scientific publishing giant Elsevier because of the high price of its journals.
Nine days after it started, more than 2600 scientists—have signed a petition in which they pledge not to publish papers in Elsevier's journals, nor referee other researchers' studies, or do other types of editorial work for the company.
The petition, which has created a buzz on researchers' blogs and Twitter, isn't just an attack on Elsevier, its organizers say, but also an attempt to show the scientific community that it can help change the publishing business themselves to increase access to their studies.
Many scientists and librarians consider Amsterdam-based Elsevier, which publishes over 2500 journals in all fields of science, one of the villains in the scientific publishing industry; its journals can cost up to $20,000 a year, while the company's profit margin in 2010 was 36%, according to an annual report. The petition mentions three main gripes: the "exorbitantly high prices" for the journals, the fact that many are sold as part of 'bundles' that include titles that libraries don't care for, and Elsevier's support of measures such as the Research Works Act, a controversial bill that would undo the National Institutes of Health's "public access" policy.
A spokesperson for Elsevier declined to answer questions, but the company sent a written statement yesterday saying that its price increases "have been among the industry's lowest for the past ten years," and that Elsevier has made several other efforts to increase access to its information, such as the introduction of optional packages and a large contribution to the PubMed Central database. "We respect the freedom of authors to make their own decisions," the statement says. "We hope the ones who sign the boycott reconsider their position however, and we are keen to engage to discuss their concerns."
though I see know I had the wrong link in the OP
here is what the first link should be
Well I guess Jim Johnson or Sander Slejpin are posting on this blog. Sad.
nope was reading the chronicle article and haven't signed the petition yet
Hmm now does every political scientist who does sign get outed as a PSJR reader?
Let's hope not but could be interesting….
While normally it is considered bad form to comment on writing style in an informal post, I feel the need to violate the norm. Elsevier, do you write many complete sentences in English? What sort of "books" are you authoring that libraries should be snapping up?
What PS journals does Elsevier publish?
^ The original post has a link to a list of Elsevier's PS journals.
^ The original post has a link to a list of Elsevier's PS journals.
Electoral Studies and Political Geography are the ones that come to mind. I'm sure there are others.
Step One: Try to find anything ever published by Elsevier worth reading
Step Two: See if your library even carries it
Step Three: If one and two, then boycott it.
PB < C
Yes, the rent for Elsevieris too damn high!
6500 people. I hope this movement will lead to somewhere.
Oh, who cares. What a waste of time.
I'm confused.
Say what now?
PB < C
These journals may not want to be owned by Elsevier - so they are punished. Elsevier are a rotten company - but boycotts hit decent journals...
Other journals have decided to leave Elsevier behind, for instance History of European Ideas (now published by Taylor and Francis)
Elsevier rocks
Rock, paper. Scissors
Any news here?
Harvard seems to support the movement. I hope there will be a change.
PB < C