Mathematician Timothy Gowers is the hero of the hour as Elsevier has officially dropped its support for Research Works Act (RWA), which was promptly declared dead by its congressional sponsors.  The RWA sought to end mandated public access to publicly funded research in the United States.  Who is Elsevier, and why [...]]]> By Lucy E. Saxon

Mathematician Timothy Gowers is the hero of the hour as Elsevier has officially dropped its support for Research Works Act (RWA), which was promptly declared dead by its congressional sponsors.  The RWA sought to end mandated public access to publicly funded research in the United States.  Who is Elsevier, and why should you care?  Read on.

Academics publish in journals for a variety reasons: to promote knowledge, to engage with colleagues, or perhaps for prestige and promotion. However, there is one motive for which academics do not publish papers: profit.  Researchers are not paid for the scholarly content that they surrender (typically copyright and all) to for-profit academic publishers like Elsevier, Wiley, Springer, etc.  Nor are academics typically paid for peer review, and often not for editing.  Publishers then sell scholarly content back to universities (through their libraries) for very high prices.

It would be correct to surmise that this tidy business model results in very tidy profits.  Elsevier has been embarrassed recently for turning a 36% annual profit, which in the world of business is considered rather exorbitant.  A DeutscheBank analyst cited by McGuigan & Russell had the following thoughts:

In justifying the margins earned, the publishers, REL [stock market abbreviation for Reed Elsevier] included, point to the highly skilled nature of the staff they employ (to pre-vet submitted papers prior to the peer review process), the support they provide to the peer review panels, including modest stipends, the complex typesetting, printing and distribution activities, including Web publishing and hosting.  REL employs around 7,000 people in its Science business as a whole.  REL also argues that the high margins reflect economies of scale and the very high levels of efficiency with which they operate.
We believe the publisher adds relatively little value to the publishing process.  We are not attempting to dismiss what 7,000 people at REL do for a living.  We are simply observing that if the process really were as complex, costly and value-added as the publishers protest that it is, 40% margins wouldn’t be available.  (McGuigan & Russell, 2008)

The analyst notes that if Elsevier were adding significant value to the product, it would essentially be impossible to make a profit on that scale.

Where is the harm in profit?  Unfortunately for academic libraries, the cost of academic subscriptions has significantly outstripped inflation while library budgets have often lagged behind inflation.  McGuigan and Russell write, “To illustrate the severity of the problem, using data from a prominent Big Ten university, if the average changes in library budgets were compared to the average increase in serial costs from the years 2001-2005, the entire library budget would be consumed by journal costs by the year 2014.” (2008)  Clearly, this subscription model is unsustainable for libraries and the institutions they serve.  Moreover, the advent of electronic publication has opened the door to major changes to the accepted publication process.

Changes such as Open Access publication could make access to scholarly information more affordable.  There are a few Open Access publication paradigms currently in use. (Crawford, Sep)  In “green” Open Access authors place their peer reviewed publications in institutional or subject area online repositories.  In “gold” OA authors pay an “OA” publisher, such as Public Library of Science, for peer review and publication of their work, and the publisher undertakes to make it freely available to everyone indefinitely.  In practice, these author fees can often be defrayed by the authors research grants or other institutional funds.  In this way, many universities are moving to defray the publication costs for researchers who choose to publish via OA platforms.  Open Access has the potential to reshape the publishing infrastructure in ways that could save money for institutions of higher education.

Mandated Public Access to some government-funded research has proved an important boon to the Open Access movement.  One of the largest “green” OA repositories in the world is PubMed Central, which was created by a Public Access mandate of the National Institutes of Health.  Access to medical research has been greatly expanded via the Open Access Database Pubmed Central.  Pubmed Central is free to everyone, and researchers who receive funding from the National Institutes of Health are obligated to post resulting publications in Pubmed Central within one year of their publication.  Pubmed Central has brought a massive amount of medical literature to the fingertips of citizens who pay for it.  The National Institutes of Health describe the benefits of their mandate program:

“Clinicians, patients, educators, and students can better reap the benefits of papers arising from NIH funding by accessing them on PubMed Central at no charge. Finally, the Policy allows NIH to monitor, mine, and develop its portfolio of taxpayer funded research more effectively, and archive its results in perpetuity.” (National Institutes of Health, 2009)

Doctors, dentists, psychologists, and others who may not be affiliated with a large research library now have access to recent medical literature.  These are the significant benefits of public access mandates to the public, but they present a challenge to the for-profit publishing model wherein the fruits of public research are restricted by private, for-profit companies.

Elsevier and the Association of American Publishers had adopted a piece of legislation called the “Research Works Act” (currently “dead”) in the United States House of Representatives. The Research Works Act sought to make government mandated public access to taxpayer funded research illegal.  It would have been the end of contributions to Databases like Pubmed Central, and no new mandates for public access could be established.  This is clearly contrary to the interests of taxpayers.  It is in the financial interest of Elsevier however, which contributed thousands of dollars to the re-election campaigns of key Representatives in the House.

Why was the bi-partisan RWA extinguished by its own sponsors?  Timothy Gowers, a brilliant and well-known British mathematician was displeased with Elsevier due to their high prices, bundling sales model, and their support for SOPA, PIPA, and the RWA.  He grew tired of simply avoiding them personally.  On January 22, he decided to avoid them publicly, and to encourage other mathematicians and academics to do the same. Silicon Valley mathematician Tyler Neylon built a boycott site, and 8592 researchers have publicly pledged not to publish, edit, or referee for Elsevier to date.  On February 27, Elsevier recanted on the RWA, sort of.  They still support the principle of banning public research mandates.  The boycott continues.

Bibliography

Crawford, W. (Sep). Open Access: What You Need to Know Now. Online, 35(5), 58.

McGuigan, G. S., & Russell, R. D. (2008). The Business of Academic Publishing: a strategic analysis of the academic journal publishing industry and its impact on the future of scholarly publishing. Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship, 9(3). Retrieved from http://southernlibrarianship.icaap.org/content/v09n03/mcguigan_g01.html

National Institutes of Health. (2009, December 28). Frequently Asked Questions – Public Access. Retrieved March 7, 2012, from http://publicaccess.nih.gov/FAQ.htm#755

Woo_den\clouds : an exploration of language in unusual juxtapositions Pfeiffer, Werner Red Hook, NY : Pear Whistle Press, 2011

Migration : a field guide to love that was and might have been Faulkenberry, Lauren (text, images, printing and binding) Tuscaloosa : Firebrand Press, 2010

Woo_den\clouds : an exploration of language in unusual juxtapositions Pfeiffer, Werner Red Hook, NY : Pear Whistle Press, 2011

Pathways Chadwick, Macy Oakland, Calif.: In Cahoots Press, 2010

Quarantine Boland, Eavan Images and design by Charles Hobson (San Francisco : Pacific Editions, 2011)

Bayard Rustin (1912-1987), practitioner of non violence, political theorist, adviser to Martin Luther King, Jr., organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for civil rights, fighter for economic and social justice for African Americans, internationalist, homosexual, and musician will be celebrated in this exhibit.

Rustin was [...]]]> Exhibition: April 5 – June 15
McCabe Library Lobby

Bayard Rustin (1912-1987), practitioner of non violence, political theorist, adviser to Martin Luther King, Jr., organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for civil rights, fighter for economic and social justice for African Americans, internationalist, homosexual, and musician will be celebrated in this exhibit.

Rustin was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, in 1912, and later attended Cheney University. In the late 1930s, Rustin moved to New York City and immersed himself in progressive politics of the day. By the early 1950s, the U.S. peace movement began thinking of Rustin as the “American Gandhi” due to his work in the civil rights movement, practice of non-violence, and actions against war.

The Swarthmore College Peace Collection will exhibit original documents, photographs, and sound recordings illustrating the life and work of this extraordinary American.

A selection of artworks that reflect the ways in which animal imagery expresses varied aspects of humanity, this exibit is being curated by List Gallery interns Elizabeth Laplace, Francesca Bolfo, and Soomin Kim. The exhbit includes works by these established and emerging artists from the mid-Atlantic region: Josh [...]]]> Exhibition: February 2—April 2
McCabe Library Lobby

A selection of artworks that reflect the ways in which animal imagery expresses varied aspects of humanity, this exibit is being curated by List Gallery interns Elizabeth Laplace, Francesca Bolfo, and Soomin Kim. The exhbit includes works by these established and emerging artists from the mid-Atlantic region: Josh Dorman, Brian Meunier, Jackie Hoving, Anne Canfield, Elizabeth Albert, Lynnette Shelley, and Michael Ahn.

At the Employee Showcase on January 12, the final event in Staff Development Week at Swarthmore, library staff members shared personal and professional interests. Lucy Saxon, left, displays artists’ books from the Abecedarium exhibit; Roxanne Lucchesi, middle, holds a kitten from the Animal Coalition of Delaware County, Inc.; and Danie Martin, right, shows [...]]]>

At the Employee Showcase on January 12, the final event in Staff Development Week at Swarthmore, library staff members shared personal and professional interests. Lucy Saxon, left, displays artists’ books from the Abecedarium exhibit; Roxanne Lucchesi, middle, holds a kitten from the Animal Coalition of Delaware County, Inc.; and Danie Martin, right, shows her bike, clothes, and medals from a triathlon she participated in.

Library staff members were also involved in other ways in the three-day event: Pam Harris, Mary Marissen, and
Mary Ann Wood served on the 2012 Staff Development Week planning group. Pam Harris and Lucy Saxon conducted a session called “Apple and Oranges: All about e-Books, Tablets, and e-Readers.”

photos by Annette Newman

The Swarthmore College Library annual book sale took place from October 21-23, to coincide with Garnet Homecoming and Family Weekend. Offerings ranged from art books to children’s books, from Spanish and French fiction, to LPs and DVDs. The sale was a fabulous success, bringing in more than $3,800 that will be used [...]]]> by Amy McColl

The Swarthmore College Library annual book sale took place from October 21-23, to coincide with Garnet Homecoming and Family Weekend. Offerings ranged from art books to children’s books, from Spanish and French fiction, to LPs and DVDs. The sale was a fabulous success, bringing in more than $3,800 that will be used to support library internships and programming. Thanks to all who stopped by the sale. We look forward to seeing you next year!

Win cash prizes of up to $600 for the best student book collection. Throw your chances in with two-time award winning collector, Ben Goossen ‘13 (will he be submitting an application again?). The Newton Award has the distinction of being the longest-running collegiate book collecting competition in the nation. Started in the [...]]]> by Pam Harris

Win cash prizes of up to $600 for the best student book collection. Throw your chances in with two-time award winning collector, Ben Goossen ‘13 (will he be submitting an application again?). The Newton Award has the distinction of being the longest-running collegiate book collecting competition in the nation. Started in the 1930s by a renowned Philadelphia book collector, A. Edward Newton, the competition awards cash prizes to the top three Swarthmore students who submit the best essays and annotated bibliographies of their book collections.

Examples of previous essays and rules for the competition are available on the library website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/x5033.xml

Application deadline is midnight, Friday, March 16. For more information, contact Pamela Harris, pharris1.

Librarianship continues to be an exciting and viable career. This semester, seven students have been selected to participate in the eighth Swarthmore College Library spring internship program: Lisa Bao ’14, Jenna Davis ‘12, Jennifer Lopez ’14, MC Mazzocchi ’12, Marcus Mello ’13, Tayarisha Poe ’12, and Amira Silver-Schwartz ‘12.

Interns will experience [...]]]> by Pam Harris

Librarianship continues to be an exciting and viable career. This semester, seven students have been selected to participate in the eighth Swarthmore College Library spring internship program: Lisa Bao ’14, Jenna Davis ‘12, Jennifer Lopez ’14, MC Mazzocchi ’12, Marcus Mello ’13, Tayarisha Poe ’12, and Amira Silver-Schwartz ‘12.

Interns will experience behind-the-scenes functioning of the college library while being exposed to other options within the field: special collections, information architecture, and archives. Highlights of the internship program include visits to local collections, projects in the Rare Book Room, and a panel of intern graduates currently active in the field.

According to 2011 data from the Occupational Outlook Handbook, job prospects for traditional librarianship are favorable, and for those with systems and technical experience the prospects are excellent. These projections reflect the wide variety of opportunities available within a field that includes much more than story-time, spectacles, and buns. It is the environment that many professionals find desirable whether in an academic, corporate, non-profit or governmental position: the day-to-day job is rarely predictable or dull.

Library Application Team: Spencer Lamm (Swarthmore), Chelsea Lobdell (Tri-college), Anna Headley (Swarthmore)

Disco Steering Group: Berry Chamness (Bryn Mawr), Spencer Lamm (Swarthmore), Laurie Allen (Haverford)

Selection Committee: Anne Garrison (Swarthmore), Laurie Allen (Haverford), Berry Chamness (Bryn Mawr), Spencer Lamm (Swarthmore), Donna Fournier (Swarthmore), Arleen Zimmerlee [...]]]> Staff from the tri-colleges collaborated on creating the new Tripod

Library Application Team: Spencer Lamm (Swarthmore), Chelsea Lobdell (Tri-college), Anna Headley (Swarthmore)

Disco Steering Group: Berry Chamness (Bryn Mawr), Spencer Lamm (Swarthmore), Laurie Allen (Haverford)

Selection Committee: Anne Garrison (Swarthmore), Laurie Allen (Haverford), Berry Chamness (Bryn Mawr),
Spencer Lamm (Swarthmore), Donna Fournier (Swarthmore), Arleen Zimmerlee (Bryn Mawr), Dora Wong (Haverford), Mary Lynn Morris Kennedy (Haverford), Chelsea Lobdell (Tri-college)

VuFind (Books & More) implementation group: Jeremy Blatchley (Bryn Mawr), Kate Carter (Swarthmore), Adam Crandell (Haverford), Chelsea Lobdell (Tri-college), Amy McColl (Swarthmore), Pat O’Donnell (Swarthmore)

Primo (Articles) implementation group: Amy Rojek Mayer (Bryn Mawr), Margaret Schaus (Haverford), Melanie
Maksin (Swarthmore), Chelsea Lobdell (Tri-college), Arleen Zimmerlee (Bryn Mawr)

User Experience team: Adam Crandell (Haverford), Dora Wong (Haverford) , Chelsea Lobdell (Tri-college), Andrew Patterson (Bryn Mawr), Jeremy Blatchley (Bryn Mawr), Susan Dreher (Swarthmore), Anne Garrison (Swarthmore)

Marketing & Training: Adam Crandell (Haverford), Susan Dreher (Swarthmore), Arleen Zimmerlee (Bryn Mawr)

Developing the new Tripod required a great deal of technical work using the skills of library staff from Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Swarthmore Colleges.

“We’re at the forefront of academic libraries,” said Spencer Lamm, Swarthmore digital initiatives librarian, since “we are using a multi-channel approach that allows the researchers to customize the [...]]]> by Terry Heinrichs

Developing the new Tripod required a great deal of technical work using the skills of library staff from Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Swarthmore Colleges.

“We’re at the forefront of academic libraries,” said Spencer Lamm, Swarthmore digital initiatives librarian, since “we are using a multi-channel approach that allows the researchers to customize the search facets after the search has begun.” Facets allow better filtering of content and more precise search results. Many institutions interfile article and book search results but the tri-college libraries decided not to.  With interfiling, “You can’t see the books for the trees (the journal articles).” The tri-college libraries join a few others in this decision, like Brown, Villanova, North Carolina State, and Brigham Young.

Many libraries are using VuFind, an open source library search engine developed by Villanova University, to search for books, videos, and recordings in their catalogs. The tri-college libraries are the first to use VuFind together with Primo (an ExLibris product used to search for journal articles), and this meant that code had to be written to accomplish that. Lamm said that we might be sharing that code with other libraries. The tri-college technical group also had to make VuFind work with Millennium, the integrated library system that supports the online transactions and functions of the libraries.

More channels will be added to Tripod in the future, like the images and original manuscripts and documents from special collections and digital collections, content from the Hathi Trust, and films and videos.