2 February 2004
UK Parliament Inquiry into Scientific Publishing: Make Your Voice Heard
The Science and Technology Committee of the United Kingdom Parliament is conducting an inquiry into scientific publications - a market which the Committee says is worth more than £4.5 billion a year.
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 has invited written evidence, and Aslib intends to submit written evidence based on the views of Aslib's corporate members and Managing Information magazine subscribers.
The Committee will be examining 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?
If you would like to send evidence for inclusion in an Aslib submission (bearing in mind that a portfolio of evidence from its members submitted by a professional body has enhanced authority), please send by email to the editor, Graham Coult(by 10am, 10 February 2004): gcoult@aslib.com
You may also telephone Graham, the editor, if you wish to discuss evidence you might like to submit - if he is not in the office when you call, he will reply as soon as possible if you leave your contact details. Telephone number of the Aslib switchboard is: 020 7583 8900.
For guidance notes on submitting evidence to a Parliamentary enquiry go to: http://www.parliament.uk/commons/selcom/witguide.htm
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