Todays Science Library Pad has a posting
http://scilib.typepad.com/science_library_pad/2007/03/euro_report_sci.html
by Richard Akerman <<Euro report: scientific information in the digital age>>
I wanted to add a comment but there seems to be a glitch in TypePad, so I'm
posting my comment here
COMMENT
This is only half the story. Here is a more critical reading of the
Commission's paper, specifically the "Overview of actions" (page 9 of
"Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council
and the European Economic and Social Committee on scientific information in
the digital age: access, dissemination and preservation" {SEC(2007)181}).
^Ö "Costs for publishing, including open access publishing, defined as
eligible costs in Community funded research projects".
Not new! Already implemented!! See
http://ec.europa.eu/research/fp6/model-contract/pdf/fp6-guide-financial-issues-feb05_en.pdf
^Ö "Specific guidelines to be issued, within specific programmes, on the
publication of articles in open repositories".
Not new! See "European Research Gateway On-Line" (more than 91.000 project
records)
http://osha.europa.eu/research/funding/information_systems.stm, and
(latest news)
http://cordis.europa.eu/ergo/
And beware the word "specific" Why not _all_ programmes? And why doesnt
Commission simply open its own repository?
^Ö "Approximately ^À50 million for work on infrastructures, in particular
digital repositories, in 2007-2008"
Peanuts! Proposed infrastructures budget was ^À3961 million. This was cut
more than any other budget line; but infrastructures budget is still ^À1850
million
^Ö "Study on the economic aspects of digital preservation".
Why? Study as substitute for action??
^Ö "Funding of research on publication business models and on the scientific
publication system".
Why? Funding as substitute for action?? Research already done! See the
Commission funded "Study on the Economic and Technical Evolution of the
Scientific Publication Markets in Europe"
http://ec.europa.eu/research/science-society/pdf/scientific-publication-study_en.pdf
. See also "Publishers^Ò new business models", Section 2.3.1. of Commission's
own "Staff Working Paper"
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/digital_libraries/doc/scientific_information/swp_en.pdf
^Ö "Deliberations in the European Parliament and Council; further discussions
with stakeholders".
Why? Talk as substitute for action??
^Ö "Exchange of good practices for new models of access to, dissemination of,
and preservation of scientific information".
idem
For a complete review of the literature, see P Suber's magisterial
compilation at
http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/newsletter/03-02-07.htm
N. Miradon
Received on Fri Mar 09 2007 - 17:01:00 GMT