Isn't it as much a moral as a practical issue? Much of the research in question has been funded through public money and yet the status quo was (often) for this research to be withheld behind pay walls by large publishing companies.
I would dispute whether the 'man on the street' requires, wants or could use the research, as noted some could and if so then why not? It's also worth remembering that it's not a matter of all universities having current access to all this research; not all university library budgets can afford subscriptions to all these research publications especially in light of the ever-increasing costs (see serials crisis).
If we believe at once that research should be publicly funded and that disseminating the products of that research performs a public good by advancing human knowledge open access to this research seems to me to be obvious - the remaining issue is how the people are to access that information; policies insisting you use a specific terminal in a public library are an arbitrary restriction in my opinion.
Darren
Darren Flynn
Information Literacy Lead - The Bridge Learning Commons
Dixons Allerton Academy
Tel: 01274 770 230 2636
Follow us @TheBridgeDAA
-----Original Message-----
From: A general Library and Information Science list for news and discussion. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Andy Turner
Sent: 05 February 2014 20:46
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Public libraries to provide free access to more ejournals than universities-huge learning agenda opportunity?
I first heard about this initiative from an email list which I subscribe to out of personal rather than professional interest. The post to that list read
"My fellow Britons, rejoice! This is a major victory for those of us who believe that access to knowledge should not be restricted to a small elitist coterie of privileged, largely middle class, academics and students at our universities. Of course, they can get it all direct into their offices and homes whereas us plebs will have to traipse off to the public library. So la lutte continue! But it is a big step forward."
This was from a researcher into traditional song and street literature who is, I believe, a retired academic but no longer enjoys any academic affiliation. Other researchers on the list are members of HE institutions, but many are not, and for them this development is a boon - especially if it were ultimately to lead on to being able to access the resources from home.
Now how many such people there are (in this subject areas and others) is debateable, as is whether it is economically viable for public libraries to pay for them to access research journals.
But let's not assume that everyone who requires access to these materials will be incapable of making use of them.
Andy Turner
VLE Manager
Institute for Teaching, Innovation & Learning University of West London
[log in to unmask]
Tel. 0208 231 2697
________________________________________
From: A general Library and Information Science list for news and discussion. [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Picken [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 05 February 2014 18:07
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Public libraries to provide free access to more ejournals than universities-huge learning agenda opportunity?
An unduly narrow view of who reads what and their ability to comprehend 'research' material. The third sentence may well have an element of truth, but is too jaundiced.
David Picken
-----Original Message-----
From: A general Library and Information Science list for news and discussion. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Andrew Buxton
Sent: 05 February 2014 17:35
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Public libraries to provide free access to more ejournals than universities-huge learning agenda opportunity?
Are these research journals that we're talking about? If so, I wonder if there are many people outside universities and industrial research departments who would be able to understand them. The function of a research journal is not to inform the public but for the researcher to gain his/her reward (funding, promotion, etc.)
-----
Andrew Buxton
Lewes, East Sussex, UK
________________________________
From: Ken Chad <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, 5 February 2014, 13:46
Subject: Re: Public libraries to provide free access to more ejournals than universities-huge learning agenda opportunity?
There has been significant debate (e.g. on Twitter) around the public library 'Access to Research' initiative but most of it from colleagues in HE-and they seem to be mostly dismissive. See for example the comments on the recent article in THE http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/publishers-launch-free-journal-ac
cess-for-libraries/2010999.article#MsgId_197668
Jonathan Griffin, Deputy CEO and Head of Business Development, Publishers Licensing Society will be delivering a session at CILIP's Copyright Executive Briefing in April: "Access to Research: a major new information service for local libraries - See more at:
http://www.cilip.org.uk/cilip/events/copyright-executive-briefing
So we have the HE and publishing sectors seemingly setting the agenda. Any public librarians want to enter the fray? Anybody think it's a *good* idea?
Ken
Ken Chad Consulting Ltd,
Tel +44 (0)7788 727 845. Email: [log in to unmask] www.kenchadconsulting.com <http://www.kenchadconsulting.com/>
Skype: kenchadconsulting Twitter: @KenChad LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/kenchad
Local Government Library Technology wiki: http://lglibtech.wikispaces.com/
My presentations on slideshare: <http://www.slideshare.net/kenchad>
http://www.slideshare.net/kenchad
From: Ken Chad [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 03 February 2014 10:58
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: Public libraries to provide free access to more ejournals than universities-huge learning agenda opportunity?
The 'Access to Research' national launch is tonight.
http://www.pls.org.uk/Pages/AccessToResearch.aspx?PageView=Shared
As I mentioned below the ability for public libraries to provide *free* access to ejournals combined with the rise of *free* online learning from major UK and international universities ("MOOCs) seems to be a huge opportunity for public libraries to re-emphasise their strategic positioning in terms of the learning agenda. What an opportunity to give new impetus to the old idea of the public library as 'The People's University'!
Ken
Ken Chad Consulting Ltd
Tel +44 (0)7788 727 845. Email: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
[log in to unmask] <http://www.kenchadconsulting.com/>
www.kenchadconsulting.com
Skype: kenchadconsulting Twitter: @KenChad LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/kenchad
Local Government Library Technology wiki: http://lglibtech.wikispaces.com/
My presentations on slideshare: <http://www.slideshare.net/kenchad>
http://www.slideshare.net/kenchad
From: Ken Chad [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 20 November 2013 18:41
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Public libraries to provide free access to more ejournals than universities-huge learning agenda opportunity?
At the UKSG conference last Thursday on 'Open Access',
(http://www.uksg.org/event/NOVCONF2013) Michael Jubb from RIN gave an update what is happening after the Finch report on Open Access. While much of his presentation (http://www.uksg.org/sites/uksg.org/files/PresentationJubb.pdf)
was about scholarly communication and academic libraries he did mention the initiative to provide free access to electronic journals from public libraries. (http://www.publishers.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content
<http://www.publishers.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2
596:uk-public-libraries-initiative-launches-technical-pilot&catid=80:general
-news&Itemid=1617>
&view=article&id=2596:uk-public-libraries-initiative-launches-technical-pilo
t&catid=80:general-news&Itemid=1617 ).
Indeed he commented that from 2014 when the scheme gets going: "public libraries will be able to offer more ejournals than many university libraries or even the British Library."
There was an interesting discussion following the presentation and it seems this initiative is not widely known or understood and it is unclear how public libraries are going to promote it. Taking this in conjunction with rise of online learning and particularly MOOCs (providing free access to courses from many universities around the world-- see http://helibtech.com/MOOCs+and+Libraries ) there appears to be huge potential here for *public* libraries to up their game in terms of the learning/lifelong learning agenda.
I'd like to write something for Local Government Library Technology
(LGLibTech) and would be really interested to hear views from public librarians and especially interested to learn what plans authorities have to promote and roll out this initiative.
Are public libraries providing any kind of guided access to MOOCs? Are libraries developing or planning more learning spaces?
Ken
Ken Chad Consulting Ltd,
Tel +44 (0)7788 727 845. Email: [log in to unmask] www.kenchadconsulting.com <http://www.kenchadconsulting.com/>
Skype: kenchadconsulting Twitter: @KenChad LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/kenchad
Local Government Library Technology wiki: http://lglibtech.wikispaces.com/
My presentations on slideshare: <http://www.slideshare.net/kenchad>
http://www.slideshare.net/kenchad--
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