Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 16:10:25 +0530
From: "Byrappa, Ananda (CORP, GEITC)"
This may be of interest to you...
Regards,
Anand
The Science and Technology Committee(of the UK House of Commons)is to
conduct
an inquiry into scientific publications.
The Committee will be looking at access to journals within the scientific
community, with particular reference to price and availability. It will be
asking what measures are being taken in government, the publishing
industry and
academic institutions to ensure that researchers, teachers and students
have
access to the publications they need in order to carry out their work
effectively. The inquiry will also examine the impact that the current
trend
towards e-publishing may have on the integrity of journals and the
scientific
process.
The Committee is inviting written evidence on the following points:
*What impact do publishers' current policies on pricing and provision of
scientific journals, particularly "big deal schemes", have on libraries
and the
teaching and research communities they serve?
* What action should Government, academic institutions and publishers be
taking
to promote a competitive market in scientific publications?
*What are the consequences of increasing numbers of open-access journals,
for
example for the operation of the Research Assessment Exercise and other
selection processes? Should the Government support such a trend and, if
so,
how?
*How effectively are the Legal Deposit Libraries making available
non-print
scientific publications to the research community, and what steps should
they
be taking in this respect?
*What impact will trends in academic journal publishing have on the risks
of
scientific fraud and malpractice?
The Committee would welcome written evidence from interested organisations
and
individuals addressing these points. Evidence should be submitted by
Thursday
12 February 2003. The oral evidence sessions will begin in March.
In announcing the inquiry, the Chairman of the Committee, Ian Gibson MP,
said
"Journals are at the heart of the scientific process. Researchers,
teachers and
students must have easy access to scientific publications at a fair price.
Scientific journals need to maintain their credibility and integrity as
they
move into the age of e-publication. The Committee will have some very
tough
questions for publishers, libraries and government on these issues."
Evidence should be sent in hard copy to the Clerk of the Science and
Technology
Committee, 7 Millbank, London SW1P 3JA. Please send an electronic version
also, in Word format, via e-mail to scitechcom@parliament.uk or on disk.
Guidance on the submission of evidence can be found at
www.parliament.uk/commons/selcom/witguide.htm
Further information on the work of the Committee can be obtained from
Committee
staff on 020 7219 2793/4.
Previous press notices and publications are available on the Committee's
internet homepage:
www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/science_and_technology_committee.cfm
Notes for Editors
*Under the terms of Standing Order No. 152 the Committee is empowered to
examine the 'expenditure, policy and administration of the Office of
Science
and Technology and its associated public bodies'. The Committee was
appointed
on 12 November 2001.
