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ICSTI: news items
- To: epc@iucr.org
- Subject: ICSTI: news items
- From: Pete Strickland <ps@iucr.org>
- Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2004 13:22:00 +0000
- Organization: IUCr
****************************************************** Subject: Information Architecture Information Today is organising a conference during i-expo in Paris, June 8-9 2004. The topic is Information Architecture and it is is an intensive 2-day conference about how to design and organise information systems that enable better search, navigation, and collaboration within organisations. There is a web site with more details at: www.infotoday.com/iaparis I-Expo is the new name for the well known IDC Conference and Exhibition, organised by GFII, the French Information Industry Grouping, which has been going for many years. ****************************************************** Subject: PSP Conference Eamon Fennessy from the Copyright Group attended the PSP Conference on behalf of ICSTI. Below is his report from the meeting. The Professional and Scholarly Publishing Division (PSP) of the Association of American Publishers (AAP) gathered in Washington, D.C. for its annual conference. The theme was "Value in a Culture of Open Access." Approximately 140 persons were registered for the sessions which began on February 9 and ended on February 11, 2004. DOES IT INCREASE SALES? Several speakers raised significant issues such as, "Will open access (especially Web Access) attract paying subscribers in the future?" NAS speaker Michael Jensen devoted his talk to the idea that the jury was still out. No conclusive statement can be made now but in the meantime NAS does offer free web access and hopes to understand readers' use of online information through expanded monitoring of users' online activities. Bill Carr of Amazon.com felt his firm's, "Search Inside the Book" increases interest and has resulted in increased book sales. WHAT IS BEING DONE TO INCREASE READING? PW's Gayle Feldman said U.S., readers want more pictures in their books. She went on relate how, in England, UK publishers sponsor "Book Day" when each school child is given a British Pound to buy a book of their choice. Surprisingly, publisherss do offer books, specifically for this program, at this price. (US $1.90) A Google representative reported a new service will soon be offered providing full text for titles published before 1923 in order to encourage more reading. Wal-Mart was complimented for successfully competing against discount vendors, Borders and Barnes & Noble who already offer heavy discounts. Wal-Mart's sales are zooming up. PUBLIC POLICY There was much discussion about "The Sabo Bill." U.S. Congressman Sabo has introduced a bill (HR 2613) which will require open access by publishers. The proposal calls for elimination of copyright protection for "any work produced pursuant to scientific research substantially funded by the Federal Government." In effect the bill destroys the Copyright Law. Publishers look askance at this and contend implementation of the bill runs the risk of "unintended consequences." Some, such as MedScape, endorse open access and continue to promptly publish articles online as quickly as they can arrange it. Overall, publishing online has global implications which has to be considered with online publication. RIGHTS MANAGEMENT Consensus at this meeting: Usage rules for Digitial Rights M<anagement must be set and followed. Content should be encrypted where security risks exist. Systems need to be simpler among the many formats, i.e. Adobe Readers, Microsoft Readers, various Palms (PDAs), etc. if these formats are to be successful. The British Library representative touted its Secure Electronic Delivery and said not only Digital Rights Management was an issue, but Web archiving and Digital Object Management presented challenges as well. SUMMARY: Open Access is looked on as "good news" and "bad news." There is a demand for it but publishers are uneasy about who (and how) will they be paid if Open Access becomes a widespread reality. Still, the publishers, the authors, and the librarians, continue to address the issue and discuss it in international conferences. Will it be inevitable? No one at this conference had the answer. ****************************************************** Subject: NFAIS summary of various submissions to the UK House of Commons The latest issue of NFAIS News contains a summary of various inputs (including ICSTI's) to the inquiry underway in the UK Parliament into Scientific Publications, as well as other commentary on how many journals are actually available, given the various sets of figures quoted in the submissions. ****************************************************** -- Best wishes Peter Strickland Managing Editor IUCr Journals ---------------------------------------------------------------------- IUCr Editorial Office, 5 Abbey Square, Chester CH1 2HU, England Phone: 44 1244 342878 Fax: 44 1244 314888 Email: ps@iucr.org Ftp: ftp.iucr.org WWW: http://journals.iucr.org/ NEWSFLASH: Complete text of all IUCr journals back to 1948 now online! Visit Crystallography Journals Online for more details _______________________________________________ Epc mailing list Epc@iucr.org http://scripts.iucr.org/mailman/listinfo/epc
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