Hi Ian
>It seems you are critiquing a particular current technology, nothing to do
>with the basic concept of an e-journal. Indeed, once the system is set up
>properly - and I woudl agree it's not easy today to browse around the
>e-publicaiton world - it shoudl be easier to browse than the physical
>realm of a sequentially shelved system where related items can be in
>different buildings.
Yes, you are right I am trying to explore practical problems with the
application of new technologies- I think the concept of an free access
e-journal is fantastic and I am frequent user of e-journals. However, I am not
sure it is possible to disconnect the technology from the basic context of its
use.
I think one of the problems is the issue of licensing. I have been told
(though I have not had direct experience) of non-university members being
refused permission to look at an e-journal because it was only licensed for
members of the university not for those outside it.
>Same problems for print. You either have to subscribe or go to a library.
>Then you are dependant on policies and licencing.
I agree, but currently in practice I have no problems with walking into a
library and looking at a journal but I can’t look at the e-journals. Yes I am
dependant on library policies, but presently library policy makes it easier
for me to consult paper than electronics. To allow the potential of e-journals
to be unleashed it is important that these issues are raised with libraries
now.
I was pleased to here from Judith that IA has been considering ‘pay-per-view’.
I know from personal experience that recently a colleague at work ( we work in
a local govt. archaeology section) wanted to look at an article in IA, but
could not persuade the county to subscribe to the journal on the basis of
needing one article. So we ended up not being able to look at a potentially
important article with particular significance to field practitioners/curators
(if interested the article was ‘Preservation of Urban Archaeological Deposits:
monitoring and characterisation of archaeological deposits at Marks & Spencer,
44-45 Parliament Street, York’ M. Davis, A. Hall, H. Kenward and J. Oxley, at
http://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue11/oxley_toc.html).
As I said before the advantages of e-journals are many and I have written for
them, use them frequently, and am even currently tentatively exploring the
possibility of setting one up. But it is of absolute importance to make sure
that the issues of dissemination are explored thoroughly. Whilst the internet
may technically allow greater ease of access, we need to ensure that the
practical, economic, legal and social barriers that e-technology presents are
addressed simultaneously.
Cheers
david
Dr David Petts
'Keys to the Past' Project Officer,
Conservation Team, Environment Directorate
Northumberland County Council, County Hall
Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 2EF
Tel: 01670 533076 Fax: 01670 533086
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://www.northumberland.gov.uk
|