[LIS-Forum] [Fwd: [bytesforall_readers] Open access: the facts...]
Subbiah Arunachalam
arun at mssrf.res.in
Thu Nov 17 12:48:57 IST 2005
>From WSIS, Tunis
http://www.wsis-si.org/oa-facts.html
OPEN ACCESS : THE FACTS
SUMMARY
* Scientific authors do not receive any financial compensation for
their papers. They donate their works to Journals
* Reviewers in Scientific Journals are not paid either.
* Most scientific journals are currently very expensive, and
prices continue to rise.
* Only the wealthiest Universities can currently afford those
subscription prices.
* The paradox : the intent of scientists is that anybody should be
able freely read their papers, and yet most of the world cannot
access their papers.
* Alternatives are being proposed by the scientists themselves :
Open Access Journals and Open Archives.
* The transition from current subscription-based journals to Open
Access Journals and Open Archives would actually save money in
advanced countries, and would let the whole world access
scientific knowledge for free. This is a win/win situation.
* Support to Open Access and Open Archives would be a tremendous
and practical achievement of the WSIS, generating savings in
advanced countries, and allowing transition countries to access
scientific knowledge crucial for a sustainable development.
More information about the LIS-Forum
mailing list