Reshaping the World of Scholarly Communication—Open Access and the Free Online Scholarship Movement: Open Access Statements, Proposals, Declarations, Principles, Strategies, Organizations, Projects, Campaigns, Initiatives, and Related Items—A Webliography

Authors

Paul G. Haschak, Southeastern Louisiana University
Linus A. Sims, Southeastern Louisiana University

Date of this Version

Spring 2006

Document Type

Article

Citation

Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (Spring 2006) 7(1). Also available at http://southernlibrarianship.icaap.org/content/v07n01/haschak_p02.htm.

Comments

Copyright 2006, the compilers. Used by permission.

Abstract

[Introduction]

Since World War II, we have seen a proliferation of scholarly materials. In particular, there has been a tremendous growth in the size and cost of the primary journal literature.

With prices continuing to rise at a rate greater than the general price index, the current scholarly communication system is becoming more and more unaffordable.

The rise in the cost of serial subscriptions has forced academic libraries over the last several decades to cancel existing serial titles, add fewer and fewer new serial titles, and buy fewer and fewer books.

In is apparent, that the crisis in the scholarly communication system not only threatens the well being of libraries, but also it threatens our academic faculty’s ability to do world-class research.

With current technologies, we now have, for the first time in history, the tools necessary to effect change ourselves.

We must do everything in our power to change the current scholarly communication system and promote open access to scholarly articles.