With the accelerated push to an "open science future" in the last five years, the mixed-model economy dominating publisher/library discussions gets more complex and yet more reductive with each new model launched. As the ecosystem gets more complex, resource-strapped publishers and libraries are seeking new ways to evaluate the benefits of new models -- often resorting to reductive proxies. Many libraries publicly avow commitments to mission-aligned, transparent, equitable models but recoil at changes in pricing or services that enable that kind of investment. Are reductive, transactional conversations around proxies like "cost-per-article" the only means for evaluating "value" in an open science/open access context?
This panel discussion aims to provocatively delve into this question through the lens of non-profit publisher and librarian perspectives -- organizations that are mission-driven and yet also resource constrained.
Tuesday February 11, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm EST
Laurel CD
The scholarly communications ecosystem has reached a tipping point where the value of open access (OA) content needs to be better measured and articulated by all stakeholders, including librarians, publishers, funders, and researchers. Research and educational organizations seek reliable means to assess their spending in support of OA. Funders need to demonstrate the benefits of the research projects they support.Publishers, meanwhile, seek to assess how organizations engage with their publications in key subject areas. These assessments must be credible, consistent, and comparable, echoing the principles established by COUNTER, but they should also help tell a story with data. What is missing from our industry is a recommended practice designed specifically to address the multi-faceted analysis needs of open access content.
This panel will introduce the current landscape of open access reporting, including the development and evolution of COUNTER Metrics, the COUNTER API (formerly SUSHI), and other reporting strategies used to assess OA usage. Following this introduction, the panel will facilitate a group discussion with the goal of identifying reporting gaps and opportunities to generate and communicate socially, financially, and academically meaningful metrics. Particular emphasis will be paid to the necessary metadata required to generate robust data for analysis.
Tuesday February 11, 2025 3:15pm - 4:30pm EST
Laurel CD
