SAGE: Society Publishing Survey Shows Open Access Winning Support
Andrew Albanese -- Library Journal, 1/13/2009
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Though they are nonprofit membership organizations, scholarly societies have offered some of the stiffest resistance to open access (OA) thus far, concerned that the new model could deprive them of much-needed revenue. But those attitudes may have begun to change, indicates a survey (PDF) of 118 societies conducted by publisher SAGE and released at the end of 2008. Among the survey’s findings: “changing journal sales models (44%) and open access (42%) are major challenges” facing scholarly societies. “However, there is as much support for OA as there is concern, across all disciplines.”
SAGE, with the help of the UK-based Association of Learned and Professional Publishers (ALPSP), undertook the online survey in fall 2008 to gain a better understanding of the professional challenges facing scholarly societies. The survey received 118 responses, about a 19 percent response rate. Despite the somewhat modest response rate, the survey amplifies a number of trends expressed in other surveys and reports done in recent years.
The good news: the online environment has meant growth for many societies. According to the survey’s executive summary, 51 percent of respondents reported growth over the last five years, and many expect continued growth, the result of “more international memberships, increased accessibility through online publishing, and increasingly diverse memberships,” including more students and non-practitioners. On the other hand, 13 percent reported declines in membership, and more voiced concern as larger proportions of members retire, saying “younger members prove harder to recruit.”
On the publishing side, a high-quality print component remains very important to society members, while at the same time better online service is a major goal. Meanwhile, with declines in subscription revenue a concern, respondents were surprisingly upbeat about the future of their publications. With “financial return from publishing services” deemed critical, it was expected that the “majority of respondents would be negative towards OA,” the survey noted. Instead, the survey found a more “optimistic outlook,” with respondents highlighting the ability to “broaden readership despite the possible impact on revenue.”
The sanguine attitude toward OA, the report notes, is in fact a surprise, and survey organizers were quick to add that the small sample “warrants a great level of caution.” Nevertheless, the key points are well-taken: the need to grow membership internationally, and “managing the move to online publishing” remains a priority.
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