Librarian Caught in Bed with Book
Scandal sends shockwaves through library community. Publishers, meanwhile, see business in counter-culture books aimed at naughty librarians.
The Google Books Settlement: Where Things Stand, and Some Suggestions for What's Next
The Google Books Settlement actually hit its second roadblock this week. Here’s why, and where matter might go from here.
Google Book Settlement — Opponents 1, Google 0
The Google Books Settlement hits a barrier. The implications of this will need to be sorted out over the coming days and weeks.
College & Research Libraries Adopts Open Access
After years of debate, ACRL will finally “walk the talk.” But without a business model, they could get tripped up.
HarperCollinsGate: Some Thoughts
The HarperCollins e-book lending limitations provide lessons in how both sides typically deal with change.
The Vexed Problem of Libraries, Publishers, and E-books
The recent brouhaha about HarperCollins’ policy of restricting ebook circulation in libraries misses the larger point that libraries and publishers can work toward satisfying their respective interests.
Should Universities Pay for Peer Review?
Rather than relying on journal prestige and bibliometric indicators, universities should consider paying experts to conduct institutional peer review, report recommends.
Scholarly Communication — Can We Have Our Name Back?
How did “scholarly communication” become equated with open access advocacy? Is its misuse ultimately self-defeating?
Authors — Only One Reason Why the Revolution in Book Publishing Continues
The revolution in book publishing shares some aspects with revolutions everywhere. Here’s a short slideshow by the founder of Smashwords examining current motivations for authors.
Prices, Models, and Fairness: A (Partly) Imaginary Phone Conversation
[Phone rings.] Librarian: Hello? Sales Rep: Hello! Robert from Acme Scholarly Journals here. As you know, for the past year we’ve been working on a new pricing model for our journal package, and now that it’s ready my boss and […]
The Battle for Control — What People Who Worry About the Internet Are Really Worried About
While sophisticated arguments about how the Internet is changing our brains continue, a look back at the history of communications systems shows we’re really arguing about something more base.
The Tablet Wars Are On, With Big Stakes for Publishers
The tablet wars are on, with special significance for STM publishers.
Providers vs. Platforms — Why Must We Move?
Apple’s apparent abuse of its platform dominance may signal a basic incompatibility between providers and platforms.
Permanence and Accountability — Why Publishers Need to Modernize Their Approaches
With more and more science being tested and communicated outside traditional outlets, we may face a moment when faith in the existing system breaks down.
J.C. Penney's Black Hat SEO and Google — Why the Network Doesn't Justify Impact Proxies
The outer ring of citation remains a point of vulnerability for quality proxies, as does reducing complex things to simple lists or numbers. When will we learn?