AIAA selects Publishers Communication Group as sales partner in the Americas

May 22, 2013

The world’s leading provider of aerospace information, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), has partnered with Publishers Communication Group (PCG) on a new sales representation arrangement in North America and Latin America. In this exclusive agreement, PCG will manage sales of the publisher’s prestigious journals, journal archives, meeting papers, and ebook content for all institutional accounts on the two continents.

With a mission and heritage focused on aerospace technology, engineering and science communication since 1930, AIAA publishes seven journals, a magazine, technical standards, three book series, ebooks, meeting papers and an archive of over one hundred thousand articles. AIAA’s all-new electronic database, Aerospace Research Central, features over four decades of research and an array of new features that allow users to more easily discover, share, bookmark and make use of this world class content.

PCG, a division of Publishing Technology plc, is a sales, marketing and research firm providing audience development strategies for over 100 scholarly publishers each year. With offices in Boston, Oxford, São Paulo, New Delhi and Beijing, PCG combines a breadth of marketing and sales experience with a depth of industry knowledge in publishing and the global library community.

Under the terms of the three-year agreement, PCG will be responsible for selling the full AIAA portfolio as the publisher’s exclusive sales agent in the Americas, served by PCG’s established sales and marketing teams in Boston and São Paulo, Brazil.

Doug Wright, Director of PCG commented: “We are very pleased to sell AIAA content in the US, Canada and Latin America markets. We have been providing sales representation services for publishers for over 20 years and have the relationships with the library market to help AIAA maintain its share and achieve continued growth. Meanwhile, our experience selling digital collections around the world allows us to craft a strategy befitting such an important content resource as Aerospace Research Central.”

Rodger Williams, Managing Director, Technical Publications at AIAA said “We are excited to engage PCG in both our home and key emerging territories. We believe PCG’s deep involvement and connections with the library market will boost our outreach and strengthen our relationship with institutions and consortia in the Western hemisphere.”

Taylor & Francis Extends Workflow Options with Editorial Manager

May 16, 2013

Aries Systems Corporation and Taylor & Francis are pleased to announce that they have entered into a global enterprise agreement to make the Editorial Manager peer review system available to Taylor & Francis journals.

Taylor & Francis has grown rapidly over the last two decades to become a leading international academic publisher of more than 1,750 scholarly journals. By adding Editorial Manager to its workflow options, its journals will benefit from the innovations and configuration capabilities that characterize the Aries solution.

Genevieve Early – Global Production Director, Journals at Taylor & Francis commented, “Workflow flexibility and systematic innovation are essential to keep pace with new business models and emerging standards in scholarly publishing. We are pleased to extend our relationship with Aries because of their ongoing ability to address these priorities. Aries appears to be listening closely to the marketplace and each new release addresses important journal and publisher needs.”

Editorial Manager is a cloud-based SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) solution used by thousands of scholarly journals to facilitate manuscript submission and peer review. The system delivers feature updates approximately three times per year and leverages APIs to integrate with third-party solutions such as ORCID and CrossCheck. Recent innovations include seamless cross-journal manuscript transfer, editor discussion forums and automated ingestion of external email.

Richard Wynne, VP Sales and Marketing at Aries commented, “Our job is to help publishers stay competitive in a very dynamic environment. For example, many journals are using the configuration capabilities in Editorial Manager to minimize initial submission steps and only burden authors with additional data collection at the time of manuscript revision. In other systems, this type of market adaptation requires extensive and slow software changes; but in Editorial Manager it can be undertaken in a few minutes and at no cost. We are delighted to extend our relationship with Taylor & Francis – one of the world’s largest publishers.”

F1000Research aims to reduce publication bias

May 16, 2013

Open Access life sciences journal, F1000Research, makes a stand to reduce positive bias in the publication record, urging scientists to publish all valid results, including negative and null findings. From now until the end of August, F1000Research is waiving its article processing fees on all articles that present negative or null results.

Many manuscripts based on carefully designed and executed experiments are turned down by traditional journals simply because they don’t report an exciting new finding. F1000Research seeks to reduce this publication bias by encouraging the submission of all sound science.

Supporters of this initiative include “Bad Pharma”-author Ben Goldacre, who is currently campaigning for the full methods and results of all clinical trials to be made publicly available. “Evidence has shown repeatedly that studies with negative results – most notably clinical trials – are grossly under-reported in the literature, leading to publication bias that is ultimately harming patients. This is why we launched the AllTrials campaign for the registration and reporting of all clinical trials, and also why this is an important initiative from F1000Research. Researchers, journals, industry, professional bodies and policy makers need to demonstrate a sense of ownership, and leadership, so we can move forward from this very dark era in science and medicine.”

F1000Research publishes a range of article types across the life sciences, using a transparent model of post-publication peer review and an open and inclusive approach to data sharing. The journal’s aim of opening up scientific research extends to supporting the publication of research that otherwise often goes unpublished, which particularly includes a large corpus of high-quality but negative data. This is why F1000Research is now announcing a grace period until August 31st during which researchers can submit their negative results at no cost.

F1000Research has already published some significant null or negative studies that were rejected by other journals. For example, a report on songbird migration, by Mark Peterson and colleagues at Indiana University, did not find a previously expected difference in two genes between migratory and non-migratory birds, but is a valuable addition to the overall understanding of bird migration. Peterson had tried to publish his work elsewhere: “I received positive reviews from another journal, but was rejected because it was a largely replicative study with a negative result. F1000Reseach was clearly the perfect place for this manuscript.”

All articles submitted to F1000Research are first subject to an in-house editorial check. Those that pass this check are then published online immediately and sent to selected peer reviewers. The peer review process is transparent, with all referee names and reports visible. Only articles that receive

Researchers wishing to take advantage of the offer to have the article processing fee waived for negative results papers submitted before August 31st can use code NR13 when submitting their manuscript.

RSC Gold for Gold is ‘ingenious’ says UK Minister for Science

May 16, 2013

The Royal Society of Chemistry’s Gold for Gold open access initiative was declared ‘ingenious’ yesterday by David Willetts MP, UK Minister for Universities and Science.

The minister was giving evidence on open access to the House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee. When asked for his view on so-called “double-dipping” – a concern that during the transition to full open access, UK institutions will be paying for both journal subscription fees and author publication charges – the minister held up RSC Gold for Gold as a shining example of a route to helping to overcome this issue.

He said: “There are some quite ingenious attempts to avoid [double-dipping], of which the Royal Society of Chemistry Gold for Gold scheme is one that we particularly welcome.”

Ron Egginton, Head of BBSRC and ESRC Team in the Research Funding Unit at the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, also commended RSC Gold for Gold at the session.

He said: “The more that this type of thinking can be seen to permeate throughout the publishing industry, the better.”

Gold for Gold was launched last year, as an innovative experiment to support researchers as they begin the funder-led transition to Gold open access.

All research institutions who are ‘RSC Gold’ customers are provided with credits equal in value to their subscription payment to make their faculty’s papers available via the RSC’s Gold open access option. The RSC took this action to enable researchers who are being asked to publish open access, but who don’t always have the funding available to pay for it directly, to meet their funders’ requirements.

Following an exceedingly successful pilot in the UK during 2012, the RSC has now rolled out Gold for Gold internationally. During the first few months of 2013, more than 60 institutions in 13 countries have used Gold for Gold credits to publish their articles, including the University of Cambridge, UCLA and the University of Queensland.

Dr James Milne, RSC Publishing Managing Director said: “We are delighted that the minister has recognised the value of the RSC’s Gold for Gold initiative. His reference to the scheme yesterday really highlights the role that learned society publishers can play in supporting the scientific community’s engagement with open access.

“It’s reassuring to hear that government recognises that the costs of publishing in a mixed subscription/open access environment need to take into account the impact that the transition to full open access will have on different stakeholder budgets.”

Springer to collaborate with the Italian Society for the Study of Eating Disorders

May 16, 2013

Springer and the Italian Society for the Study of Eating Disorders (Società Italiana per lo Studio dei Disturbi del Comportamento Alimentare – SISDCA) have agreed to a five-year collaboration to publish the quarterly journal Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, starting in 2013 with Volume 18. As the official journal of SISDCA, it will be available exclusively in electronic format on SpringerLink (link.springer.com). It was formerly published by Kurtis Editrice.

Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity provides an international forum devoted to eating disorders and obesity and the relationship between the two. Topics include over- and undernutrition and obesity surgery. The journal publishes review articles, clinical research, pharmacological studies, animal research, technical innovations, new concepts and hypotheses, and papers on medico-legal issues. Targeted are psychiatrists, psychologists, internists including endocrinologists and diabetologists, nutritional scientists, bariatric surgeons, and others dealing with eating disorders and obesity.

Massimo Cuzzolaro, Editor-in-Chief, said, “From 1996, the journal has gained increasing importance. In 2011, it had an impact factor of 0.628 and is covered in Index Medicus/MEDLINE, PsycINFO and other well-known abstracting and indexing services. Working with Springer will help to promote the journal by increasing its global visibility and supporting the society in its mission.”

“We are proud to welcome the journal Eating and Weight Disorders to the Springer clinical medicine journals portfolio. It offers an additional relevant scientific resource to all clinical practitioners and scientists working in this interdisciplinary field. Eating and Weight Disorders will join many established publications in the field of psychiatry and will have global exposure via the SpringerLink platform,” said Carlotta d’Imporzano, Executive Editor of Medicine Journals at Springer.

The SISDCA is the oldest and largest Italian scientific society in this field and most likely the first society for eating disorders in the world. It was founded as an interdisciplinary scientific society on July 19th, 1991. Its members include researchers and specialists from a broad range of fields, including internal medicine, endocrinology, neuropsychiatry, psychology and the food sciences. As a non-profit organization, the SISDCA is dedicated to research in the field of eating disorders. It promotes both preventive and therapeutic measures, and is also active in training and continuing education.

Burgundy to sell Business Expert Press e-Book collections in UK, Ireland and Scandinavia

May 16, 2013

Specializing in the promotion of innovative publishers throughout Europe, Burgundy Information Services has signed an exclusive agreement with Business Expert Press to provide sales and marketing services in the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia.

Established in 2008 with input from faculty and academic librarians and now used by hundreds of thousands of students, Business Expert Press publishes concise, practical treatments of the topics taught in MBA programs. Their born-digital books are written by professors who translate real-life business experiences into teaching tools, and serve as curriculum-oriented, cost-effective alternatives to high-priced textbooks by providing the kind of information that’s not offered in introductory textbooks or case studies.

Speaking of the partnership Burgundy’s International Sales Director, Paul Calow, commented that “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Business Expert Press to deliver their unique, innovative Business Education materials to new users throughout Europe.”

David Parker, President at Business Expert Press said “Burgundy is a leader in bringing unique and valuable new products and services to the library world. In our short history we have quickly gained traction in the US and Asian library markets but have lacked a skilled partner to help us enter the UK and Europe. I am certain we have found the right partner in Burgundy.”

ProQuest Completes Acquisition of EBL

May 16, 2013

ProQuest, an information company central to global research, has completed its acquisition of Ebook Library (EBL), significantly expanding its e-book delivery and aggregation capabilities with libraries worldwide. The acquisition supports ProQuest’s overall goal of enhancing the research experience through seamless discovery of content across multiple formats, including books, journals, dissertations, newspapers, and video.

Kari Paulson, President of EBL, and EBL’s current staff have joined ProQuest with Ms. Paulson in the role of Vice President and General Manager of the combined ebrary and EBL e-book business unit. She will lead the planning efforts to combine the strongest features of ebrary and EBL into one optimized e-book platform that has the most flexible selection of business models, the most comprehensive range of content, and the most effective tools available to support both researchers and librarians. The company will be actively soliciting customer feedback throughout the integration in order to provide libraries with an even better e-book solution.
ProQuest does not anticipate disruption for EBL or ebrary customers over the estimated 18 month integration timeframe. Customers and partners should continue to work with their current EBL and/or ProQuest representatives.
To learn more visit ProQuest at www.proquest.com.

Copyright Clearance Center Joins Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association

May 15, 2013

Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), a not-for-profit organization and leading provider of licensing and Open Access (OA) solutions, has joined the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA), which offers a forum for bringing together the entire Open Access community.

“As traditional and new publishers gather and create standards around Open Access publishing, it’s increasingly important to have organizations like OASPA leading dialogue among publishers, academics, researchers and others”
“As traditional and new publishers gather and create standards around Open Access publishing, it’s increasingly important to have organizations like OASPA leading dialogue among publishers, academics, researchers and others,” said Roy Kaufman, Managing Director, New Ventures, CCC. “We’re honored to be a part of OASPA’s ambitious mission of exchanging information, setting standards, improving the author experience, educating the research community and the public and promoting innovation.”

CCC currently works with many of OASPA’s members on issues such as collecting Article Processing Charges (APCs) and Open Access-aware licensing through its RightsLink® for Open Access solution, which helps reduce costs, increase operational efficiency and improve author experience and satisfaction.

CCC was named one of “10 to Watch” by information industry analyst Outsell in its 2013 Open Access Market Report and recently endorsed the Research Information Network’s call for cooperation among funders, universities and publishers.

CCC has been helping publishers improve the author experience in collecting APCs for over six years and welcomes efforts toward standardization and transparency.

CCC hosts webinars and podcasts on many aspects of Open Access and works with organizations such as the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) on creating standards around Open Access as part of its non-profit mission.

SAGE launches MobileStudy

May 14, 2013

SAGE today announced the launch of its highly innovative digital revision tool, MobileStudy to aid student learning on the go. As one of the first revision tools to use a QR reader, SAGE’s MobileStudy is a significant step in supporting the student interactive learning experience on the go through mobile technology.

Using QR codes within the printed book, SAGE’s MobileStudy, enables Smartphone and tablet users instant access to key textbook extracts and additional study resources tailored for mobile use, making it possible to study and revise whenever and wherever they like. Linking through to lecturer resources, additional summary material, revision questions and summaries, the digitally innovative mobile revision tool creates an engaging textbook learning environment, supporting the changing need of today’s students whilst simultaneously helping to improve learning outcomes.

SAGE’s MobileStudy was first rolled out as part of the well renowned and highly regarded fourth edition Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics textbook by Professor Andy Field.

“Student reading habits are changing, with a much higher demand for interactive material that engages the student while on the move,” said Ziyad Marar, Global Publishing Director, SAGE. “The work we have done on MobileStudy is a direct response to a large amount of feedback we’ve had from students around the world, and, we believe, meets their needs in an innovative and highly effective way.’

The mobile learning tool will be rolled out across a number of SAGE higher education and college market textbook titles by end Q1 2014.

Library Copyright Alliance applauds introduction of Unlocking Technology Act

May 14, 2013

The Library Copyright Alliance (LCA) applauds the introduction in the US House of Representatives on May 9, 2013, of H.R. 1892, the Unlocking Technology Act of 2013, by Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), and Jared Polis (D-CO). The bill guarantees that legitimate uses of digital works and technologies will not run afoul of copyright law, even if they require breaking digital locks. Prompted by the recent uproar over cell phone unlocking, the bill recognizes that issue as a symptom of a much larger problem and would fix that problem permanently.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), passed in 1998, made it illegal for owners of legally purchased digital media and technologies to modify their property if it would break digital rights management (DRM) and other forms of digital locks. The DMCA placed a shadow over a host of normal activities of libraries and their patrons: ripping DVDs to facilitate teaching and learning, converting e-books to accessible formats, modifying tablets to run different software, and more. Under current law, libraries and their patrons must ask the Copyright Office for special carve-outs every three years to allow these kinds of uses, even though they don’t infringe copyright. The Copyright Office has issued some favorable rules for library uses, but those rules are limited in scope, difficult to win, and can be revoked by the office at any future rulemaking. Indeed, it was the revocation of the cell phone unlocking exception that raised recent alarms about the DMCA and the power it gives the Copyright Office.

The Unlocking Technology Act does away with this bizarre aspect of the DMCA, freeing all non-infringing uses regardless of their effect on DRM. Importantly, the Unlocking Technology Act also permits the creation and distribution of tools required for unlocking, without which the right to unlock would be useless. LCA applauds the bill’s sponsors for their leadership and vision, and urges others in the House to support this important bill.

The sponsors’ press release, full text of the bill, and a section-by-section summary are available on Rep. Zoe Lofgren’s website.

View/download a PDF of this statement on the LCA website.

Thomson Reuters forms Research Analytics Customer Advisory Board

May 14, 2013

The Intellectual Property & Science business of Thomson Reuters, the world’s leading provider of intelligent information for businesses and professionals, today announced the launch of its Research Analytics Customer Advisory Board, an esteemed group of university and funding leaders working with the Scientific & Scholarly Research business unit to provide counsel and direction on the evolution of the company’s research analytics solution.

“We realize that our research analytic solutions are used by our global customers to evaluate their performance, people and peers. These are mission critical evaluations that rely on the gold standard metrics and analytics stemming from the Web of Science®,” said Gordon Macomber, managing director, Thomson Reuters Scientific & Scholarly Research. “Through our newly formed Research Analytics Customer Advisory Boards we are honored to be working with esteemed leaders from the world’s elite research institutions and funding bodies to help co-create the next generation of InCites®, the leading platform for research analytics.”

There are three advisory board branches, representing the main geographic regions the business serves: Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and the Americas. Each board addresses its local needs and trends, ensuring an end solution that is comprehensive and global.

By drawing citation data from Thomson Reuters Web of Science, the world’s most authoritative discovery and research platform with academic citation databases, Thomson Reuters InCites delivers objective benchmarks, metrics and indicators to support the comparison of people, peers and regions.

Members of the Research Analytics Customer Advisory Board aim to guide and inform the evolution of the next generation of InCites, making it “a single destination for research evaluation and management,” said Mr. Macomber.

Thomson Reuters InCites enables scholarly profiling, research benchmarking and expert consulting and interpretation. Offerings within the InCites solution will include Journal Citation Reports, Essential Science Indicators and Research In View. The Customer Advisory Board will work to ensure that InCites is of value to provosts and the “academic c-suite,” as well as research analysts, through insightful visualizations that can be drilled into for access to the underlying Web of Science data.

Thomson Reuters Research Analytics information is available online.

EBSCO strengthens its leadership position

May 13, 2013

EBSCO announced today that its 2013 Information Days in Norway were judged by delegates to have been successful in helping librarians to face the challenging task of promoting the resources in their own libraries, and letting their users know there is an alternative to traditional search engines.

Eighty librarians attended EBSCO’s 2013 Information Days held in Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, and Tromsø, representing Norway’s top universities and prestigious institutions such as NTNU (Norway’s second largest university and its primary institution for the education of engineers and scientists). Delegates networked with publishers Karger and Oxford University Press; they gained industry insights and discovered EBSCO’s time-saving new products and services. One librarian commented that the day was “a good combination of product information and an excellent opportunity to share experiences with colleagues.”

EBSCO’s Nordic operations are growing from strength to strength, with important new customers on board such as NTNU, and, more recently, Stockholm University in Sweden. A new General Manager of the UK and Nordic operations, Paul Harwood, joins EBSCO on 30 May 2013 to further strengthen EBSCO’s leadership position in Norway and the Nordic markets.