I have to pay more attention to scholarly publishing and technology, because it looks as though I’ll be going to the Society for Scholarly Publishing’s Top Management Roundtable (evidently, no web address yet) in Philadelphia in early September — so I made it a point to look up this note in Inside Higher Education. I was exhilarated to see the sorts of plan Rice University Press already has implemented in the area of Open Access, and their vision of future projects looks spot-on to me.
When I see news of real publishers really implementing the projects I merely insist are possible (probable, necessary), I wonder what on earth I’ll say to a conference. Maybe I can simply give them an author’s-eye perspective, and encourage them to move toward the future rather than adhere with barnacular tenacity to a past whose tide is receding, not to return.
You may also wish to consider the University of Tennessee Libraries’ Newfound Press, and the publishing support now being offered to faculty by the Cornell and Michigan libraries.
On Monday I’ll send you the draft of my book chapter, some parts of which you should find relevant. Tweak me if I don’t.
Thanks, Dorothea! I was actually hoping you’d give me a helpful word, but reluctant to ask, lest I be guilty of expecting other, better-informed people than I to do the work for me, while I sat on a panel looking sage. . . .
Don’t be silly. Outreach is part of my job. The more scholars and professionals I reach, the easier life at MPOW becomes. I can’t convince scholars to give open access a whirl; scholars convince each other. Whatever I do to further that is wholly in my self-interest.