I understand SCONUL and CURL are preparing written evidence, and are
prepared to give oral evidence.
I hope that CILIP will, likewise.
One concern of mine, which the Committee does not seem to address, is the
access to research literature by the interested layman/woman, and
broadcasters etc.
How does pricing, and the move to online access, affect journalists and the
general public? A recent article on the extinction of a million species
made headlines, but it was published in "Nature". Another, on toxins in
farmed salmon, was probably in "Science". Articles on MMR and autism appear
in medical journals.
It is important that access to these continues in the online age, through
public libraries and not just research libraries, if we believe that an
informed electorate is required to underpin our democracy ...
Adrian Smith
Headingley
|