Re: Elsevier

[Michael Barr <barr@barrs.org>]

I would certainly agree, but in my brief discussions, they are little
interested in taking on new responsibilities.

I have just discovered that Mathematica Japonica charges page charges.
That is a retrograde step that I cannot advise.

Michael

On Tue, 19 Dec 2006, Alexander Kurz wrote:

>
>
> Michael Barr wrote:
>> I read John's manifesto, which was interesting.  One thing I do not
>> understand is the reluctance of libraries and universities to get involved
>> in this.  While TAC runs without any funding at all (except for the
>> trivial storage cost that Mt. Alison contributes), a journal publishing a
>> more typical 2000 pages a year would need at least a minimum of some
>> clerical support.  A donation of $50/year by 100 universities would go a
>> long way.
>>
>> Several years ago one of my colleagues suggested starting a free journal
>> to be called McGill J. Math.  But there were so many naysayers in the
>> department that the idea never got off the ground.  As far as I can tell,
>> I was the only one to support the idea (and volunteer to help).  Pity.
>>
>
> An alternative way how libraries could support electronic publications
> arises from the following thoughts.
>
> What will or should be the role of libraries in the digital age?
>
> Certainly, buying and storing hardcopies will play a smaller and smaller
> role. So libraries should have an interest in finding something else to
> do, just to survive as institutions themselves. What could that be?
>
> I think university libraries could become publishers of electronic
> journals. Universities should have an interest to host these journals,
> because they provide prestige for little money.
>
> As a conclusion, maybe the libraries could be convinced to DO the
> `clerical support'.
>
> Alexander
>
>