** with apologies for cross posting **

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release
 
Latest ALPSP Scholarly Publishing Practice Survey on online journal
publishing is now available
 
The third in a series of ALPSP surveys undertaken to establish current
scholarly publishing practices and designed to track changes in policy and
practice since 2000, has been published by the Association of Learned and
Professional Society Publishing (www.alpsp.org).  The survey, carried out by
Laura Cox of Frontline Global Marketing Services and John Cox of John Cox
Associates, was conducted of 400 journal publishers, both commercial and
not-for-profit, consisting of ALPSP and other major association members. A
response rate of over 65% was achieved including the majority of major
journal publishers. 
 
Key findings include: 
 
.  Publishers - especially large publishers and commercial publishers are
launching new journals at a higher rate than in 2005.
 
.  The growth trajectory of online availability has been steady since 2003.
There is still some difference between the disciplines, with 96.1% of STM
and 86.5% of arts, humanities and social science titles accessible online.  
 
.  Pricing models are just as complex and varied as they were in 2005. Most
publishers use a variety of means to establish prices. It is notable that
fewer publishers are providing online access free with print and instead are
offering online-only subscriptions. 
 
.  Open access advocacy has clearly had an effect on publishers' thinking.
The proportion of publishers offering optional open access to authors has
grown from 9% in 2005 to 30% in 2008. However, the take-up of the author
pays open access option is exceedingly low.  
 
.  Licensing terms have become more generous, as publishers have become more
comfortable with the use of digital content, including allowing use in
Virtual Learning Environments and repurposing to create learning objects. 
 
.  Publishers' practice on authors' rights is changing. Fewer publishers now
require authors to transfer copyright to the publisher and will instead
accept a licence to publish.
 
.  The growth of institutional and subject based repositories has prompted a
rethink on authors' rights to post their articles on the web. Large
publishers have relaxed prohibitions on posting pre-prints, but have imposed
embargoes on the final accepted version. 
 
.  Publishers are at different stages of development in their implementation
of Web 2.0 technologies, with 20% enabling collaborative tagging and between
10% and 15% implementing forums, blogs and podcasts for a journal.  
 
The full report provides a vast array of evidence about the current policies
and practices of scholarly journal publishers, but it also shows how these
practices have changed over time with comparisons with the survey results
from 2003 and 2005. It will be invaluable to those who wish to dispel some
of the misunderstandings that have been voiced about journal publishing and
to show how publishers' policies have changed in response to advocacy groups
and funding mandates.          
 
Scholarly Publishing Practice, Third Survey 2008: Academic journal
publishers' policies and practices in online publishing by John Cox and
Laura Cox is available to ALPSP members as a free to download PDF or may be
purchased by non-members online at the ALPSP website www.alpsp.org.
 
Contacts:

ALPSP: Nick Evans, Chief Operating Officer, Tel: +44(0) 208 789 2394,
Mobile: +44(0) 7793 559992, Email: [log in to unmask]

Laura Cox: Frontline Global Marketing Services, Tel: +44(0) Tel: +44 (0)
1327 359298, Email: [log in to unmask]
 
------------------------------------------
 
Lesley Ogg
Senior Coordinator, Events & Information Systems
Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers
E: [log in to unmask]; T: 01245 260571; F: 01245 260935; www.alpsp.org

ALPSP is a Company limited by guarantee and incorporated in England and
Wales Registration no: 4081634. Registered Office: Blenheim House, 120
Church Street, Brighton, BN1 1AU, UK