ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 512 / C&RL N ew s ■ M a y 2001 SCHOLARLY COM M UNICATION Ivy Anderson, Gail McMillan & Ann Schaffner, editors portal A new model for the digital future by Charles B. Lowry, Susan K. Martin, and Gloriana St. Clair The Create Change initiative among the Association of Research Libraries, ACRL, and SPARC encourages librarians to be ac­ tive on campus in helping faculty in all disci­ plines to rethink their scholarly communica­ tions practices.1 To illustrate these principles, a group of librarians and an interested university press reacted to Elsevier’s recent acquisition of sev­ eral journals in librarianship and general so­ cial sciences by launching an alternative new journal titled portal: Libraries a n d the A c a d ­ emy. Susan K. Martin, Chafles B. Lowry, Gloriana St. Clair, former Jo u r n a l o f A cad em ic L ib ra ria n sh ip editors and editorial board members, a group of willing mentors, and the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Press are acting deliberately to achieve focused objec­ tives, including: • offering an affordable alternative to se­ rials that have increased an average of 9 per­ cent a year while the consumer price index increased only 3.3 percent; • providing an inviting, constructive, and productive environment for authors; • taking the lead on campus in illustrat­ ing new initiatives; • building a closer relationship with academia; • joining with a reputable university press; and • dreaming of an enhanced communica­ tions future. Affordable altern ative University presses offer a high-quality alter­ native to their commercial counterparts. Whereas some commercial presses report gross profit margins of 40 percent with an­ nual profits between 20 and 30 percent, uni­ versity presses only cover their costs and in the past have often received subsidies from their universities. Ray English and Larry Hardesty, two p o r ta l editorial board mem­ bers, have called the commercial pricing prac­ tices “fundamentally unjust,” and a governor of an engineering society called them “extor­ tion.”2 The difference between commercial and university presses allows the latter to price their journals in more reasonable ways. Thus, p o r ta l sells for $48 to individuals and $145 to institutions; it is a journal we can afford. Environm ent fo r authors Major journals in most disciplines pride them­ selves on their high rejection rates. The ra­ tionale is that a high rejection rate signifies a strong commitment to, and compelling evi­ dence of, quality. Nothing could be more wasteful of the scarce resources for library About the authors Charles B. Lowry is dean o f libraries at the University o f Maryland, e-mail: clowry@deans.umd.edu; Susan K. Martin is university librarian at Georgetown University, e-mail: martin@georgetown.edu; Gloriana St. Clair is university librarian at Carnegie Mellon University, e-mail: gstclair@andrew.cmu.edu mailto:clowry@deans.umd.edu mailto:martin@georgetown.edu mailto:gstclair@andrew.cmu.edu C&RL N ew s U M a y 2001 / 513 research than to replicate a system that en­ courages authors to create a finished prod­ uct only to be judged and rejected. The p o r ­ tal board and mentors want to help authors from the moment they decide to engage in research to the moment they elect to submit the finished product to either p o r ta l or some other journal. To accomplish that, p o r ta l has created a mentoring program for authors. Experts are available to consult with authors about topic selection and identification and about issues around statistical sampling and survey design and around the crafting of the article itself. Librarians lead Academic faculty understand that increases in serials prices are “killing libraries.” Many are active library users and serve on library committees around the world. It is up to dis­ cipline faculty to create the not-so-subtle re­ alignment toward alternative publishing that will support the flow of scholarly informa­ tion, although librarians can supply ideas and information to foster that change. And we alone can change communications in our own discipline. In committing ourselves to this new journal venture, p o r t a l editors and board members model a reasonable next step that illustrates the A ssociation o f American Universities’s best practices. Academ ic ties It has become obvious in recent years that the expansive nature of the library and infor­ mation studies professions is creating ever stronger links between librarians and their colleagues in the academ ic community. Rather than establish a journal focused solely on libraries, the p o r ta l board decided that the new publication should attempt to attract manuscripts more widely within the academic community. These colleagues include com­ puting science professionals, information sci­ ence educators, and, particularly, that group of scholars who are now very aware of the flow of information within their own disci­ plines, who have also begun to create their own journals in lieu of the traditional mar­ ketplace. To that end, the p o r t a l editorial board includes one current and one former university president, and we expect to draw on other scholars as well as those concerned with the funding of information in higher education in the future. The JHUIM U SE connection It was clear to all of us that starting a new title would be a challenge and that the key first step was to identify the requirements we would have of any publisher with whom we would partner. As we developed strategies for creating a new journal, the first and most obvious requirement was to identify a pub­ lishing partner with a strong reputation for quality. There were several opportunities for doing this in both the commercial and uni­ versity press scholarly publishing sectors. Equally important, we wanted a new publi­ cation to have both print and electronic pres­ ence. Because we also were committed to the central idea of creating a price competi­ tive journal, our discussions with publishers always emphasized current price and con­ trol of inflation. Finally, we wanted a pub­ lisher who had a history of commitment to the principles of educational and library fair use. The Johns Hopkins University Press met all of these criteria. In any negotiation, confidence in the other side is vital. We quickly established that con­ fidence and a good rapport with Marie Hansen, who represented JHU Press. The press already had a strong presence in elec­ tronic publishing, with Project MUSE. Several other high-quality university presses had agreements with the JHU Press to support it technically in offering titles through MUSE. The press has steadfastly adhered to fair use, and together we crafted a statement published in the journal to support these principles. Among the Press’s near-term goals was to expand its journal list to include a greater number of social science and professional About the editors Ivy Anderson iscoordinatorforDigitalAcquisit¡onsatHarvard University, e-mail: ivy_anderson@harvard.edu; Gail McMillan is headof the Digital Library and Archives (formerlythe ScholarlyCommunicationsProject)atVirginiaTechUniversity, e-mail: gaiimac@vt.edu; Ann Scha ffn er has been an academic librarian fo r more than 20 years and is currently a full-time MBA studentatSimmons College, e-mail: ann.schaffner@simmons.edu mailto:ivy_anderson@harvard.edu mailto:gailmac@vt.edu mailto:ann.schaffner@simmons.edu 514 / C&RL N ew s ■ M a y 2001 journals— and so the marriage was arranged. We easily achieved agreement on all of our requirements. In particular, the potential board for the new journal played a major role in pricing discussions, a factor of pri­ mary concern and a practice conspicuously absent from commercial journal publishing. We explored a range of prices that would accomplish two things. First, it would remain competitive in pricing for libraries. This, af­ ter all, was our principle reason for creating a new journal. Second, we wanted to stimu­ late individual subscriptions as part of our plan to build community around the new title. The Press has shown real imagination and flexibility in response. Recently, for example, we agreed that Beta Phi Mu inductees would receive a year’s subscription at no cost. The editorial leadership of the journal was a key issue. Our group had individuals with strong credentials, and JHU Press readily agreed to an unusual arrangement that we thought was vital to the success of our start­ up. p o r ta l has two executive editors— Charles Lowry and Sue Martin— whose roles include the managerial and public aspects of starting the new title, as well as soliciting and man­ aging the work of feature editors. Managing editor Gloriana St. Clair is responsible for the refereeing and editing process and for the mentoring program. All three had served on the J o u r n a l o f A ca d em ic L ibrarian ship board. Lowry was the founding associate editor and then editor of Library A dm in istration and. M anagem ent, and Martin served as editor of J o u r n a l o f Library A utom ation. St. Clair has been editor of College a n d R esearch L ibrar­ ies and J o u r n a l o f A c a d e m ic Librarianship. Dreams fo r the future The title p o rta l: L ibraries a n d the A ca d em y is intended to be evocative, reflecting the idea that libraries are the central mechanism through which knowledge and learning cre­ ated in the academy is expressed, and through which students and faculty gain access to it. Above all, the board and the press want to use the journal as the platform for a dialogue about the academic library as a central and indispensable institution within higher edu­ cation. Ultimately, we believe this will mean that p o r ta l will become more than a journal. Through it, we want to create a community that provides a platform for the ongoing dia­ logue about libraries at a pivotal time in their history. To observe that there is a sea of change around libraries is prosaic by now. As part of that change, scholarly information essential to the research and teaching enterprise is proceeding through a dramatic transforma­ tion, driven by the use of networked infor­ mation technology. How well libraries choose their path will define whether we take on a full (and appropriate) role in the campus sch o larly inform atio n ex ch a n g e or are marginalized. The p o r t a l board believes that the academy needs and expects us to do the former. The dialogue about this change is rich, varied, and full of divergent opinion. At the same time, academic libraries are experiment­ ing boldly with organization, technology, and partnerships in a way they have not since they took their modern form in the early twen­ tieth century. The press and the board have undertaken a study of next steps— how can we expand the discussion beyond the pages o f the journal? We certainly do not want for models, and some come readily to mind: • MIT CogNet™ (http://cognet.mit.edu/ Cover/tour_library.html) “provides a unique electronic community for researchers in cog­ nitive and brain sciences, with in-depth cur­ rent and classic text resources, and a dynamic interactive forum for today’s scholars, stu­ dents, and professionals.” This dynamic site includes a searchable full-text collection of books, journals, and reference works; edito­ rials by scientists on leading-edge or contro­ versial topics; job listings; personalized work space; seminar and conferėnce information and calls for papers; discussion groups; and institutional and member profiles. • Romantic Circles at the University of Maryland (http://www.rc.umd.edu/) shows similar diversity. It includes a searchable archive o f electronic editions on the Ro­ mantic period; conference and seminar in­ formation; a database o f publications in the field; Romantic Circles High School K— 12 partnership; online reviews; collections o f critical essays; online tools for the study o f the period; and a “m ulti-user virtual space dedicated to real-time m eeting and discussions.” Romantic Circles is also experi­ menting with Cambridge University Press (c o n tin u ed o n p a g e 5 2 5 ) http://cognet.mit.edu/ http://www.rc.umd.edu/ Find it. Faster. You just got a request for a list of grocery stores in a three-state area with more than 20 employees You could search through dozens of reference sources to create that list. Or, you could call the Library Division of i/ifoUSA. We offer the country’s most extensive databases of business and residential infoπnation. And, you choose the fomiat you want: print, CD-ROM or via the Internet. Want more information? Call us today at 1-800-808-1113 or e-mail: library@inlbUSA.com. Your search is over. 5711 S. 86th Circle • P.O. Box 27347 • Omaha, NE 68127 Phone: (402) 593-4523 • Fax: (402) 596-7688 • www.llbraryUSA.com 23580 C&RL N e w s ■ M a y 2001 / 525 for the K -1 2 students and their teachers. Also, it is im portant to n ote that this is frequently the first co llege cam pus that the K -1 2 stu­ dents have visited, and their enthusiasm for “going to co lle g e” is a visible result o f this experien ce. Although student teachers from Carthage are not required to arrange field trips to the Saem ann Center for their classes, w e are find­ ing that m ore and m ore o f them do so. Re­ markably, w e have found that even gradu­ ates o f our teach er preparation program are reserving the lab facilities and bringing in their students. Profe ssional de velopm e nt fo r teachers A third elem ent o f our collaboration has b een to provide professional development to teach­ ers in the local schools. W e have held nu­ m erous w orkshops and institutes for teach ­ ers in o u r S a e m a n n C en ter. E v en m o re important, the Carthage education students have b e e n m ajor participants in these w ork­ shops by sharing sam ple products they have created with a variety o f softw are applica­ tions, b y sharing the instructional W eb sites they have created, and by providing on e- o n -o n e support to the teach ers participating in the w orkshops. In fact, the w orkshops have b e e n so su ccessful that w e plan to in­ teg rate th em regu larly in to o u r m eth od s courses. It is just o n e m ore exten sion o f the idea o f providing the cooperatin g teachers with visions o f different uses o f tech n ology to create pow erful, m otivating instructional ex p erien ces. We have b e e n pleased with our progress tow ard developing com m unity partnerships and prom oting tech n ology-en rich ed instruc­ tion in the local scho o ls w h ere Carthage stu­ dents con d u ct their field ex p erien ces. There can b e little doubt that a program as am bi­ tious as this o n e could not have b e e n im ple­ m ented and m aintained w ithout co lla b o ra ­ tive partnerships am ong a num ber o f groups and individuals. T h e su ccess o f th ese p ro­ grams illustrates very clearly that co llab o ra­ tive partnerships truly are an essential means o f achieving our goals. ■ ( “p o r t a l” contin u ed fr o m p a g e 5 1 4 ) (http://w w w . rc . umd. edu/pubinfo/prospectus. html). T h e Publications section “houses Cam­ bridge University Press @ Rom antic Circles, a joint experimental site devoted to finding pro­ ductive ways to fuse the worlds o f hypertext and print publication. This site allows users to read the full text o f select chapters from texts currently available from Cambridge Uni­ versity Press, as w ell as cond uct keyword searching o f the entire texts. It is our hop e that these resources will seiv e as valuable tools for scholars w ho are already working w ith the featured texts and for those w ho are considering purchasing th em .” Th e p o rta l editorial board and JH U Press intend to draw o n these and other best prac­ tices to build a larger e-environm ent that will help us push the discussion about academ ic libraries m ore rapidly, to test ideas and pro­ totypes even as w e experim ent. Inform ation technology has great potential for improving discipline communications. Change pressures in libraries m andate that librarians optimize discipline com m unications. Librarians world­ wide can participate in this change by sub­ mitting to portal, subscribing to portal, read­ ing portal, and going through this p o rta l into the future. N otes 1. D enise K. Magner, “Seeking a Radical Change in the Role o f Publishing,” Chronicle o f Higher Education (June 16, 2000). Avail­ able online at http://chronicle.com/free/v46/ İ 4 l/ 4 la 0 l6 0 1 .h t m . Ray English and Larry Hardesty, “Create Change: Shaping the Fu­ ture o f Scholarly Jou rn al Publishing,” C&RL Newsβl (June 2000): 51 5 -1 8 . Available online at h ttp ://ww.ala.org/acrl/s c h o la rly c o m m . html. 2. English and Hardesty, “Create C hange,” 517. Acta Metallurgica G overnor’s meeting. Kauai, Hawaii, Ju n e 2, 2000. ■ Correction Tam i Echavarria is coordinator o f instruc­ tional services at W hitworth College. She w as listed incorrectly o n p. 3 1 6 o f the March 2001 issue o f C&RL News. Th e edi­ tors regret the error. http://chronicle.com/free/v46/ http://ww.ala.org/acrl/scholarlycomm