Day: June 30, 2010

UC reacts to journal price increase

Posted on by UC Berkeley Library

The Nature Publishing Group (NPG) proposes to quadruple the price of a UC license for Nature and its 67 affiliated journals. The magnitude of such a price increase for academic journals is unprecedented and unless the University of California and NPG can reach an acceptable pricing compromise, the UC would have to cancel its subscription to Nature and NPG publications, journals which are among the most prestigious of academic journals.

The executive director of the California Digital Library, along with the chair of the University Committee on Library and Scholarly Communication of the Academic Senate and the convener of the University Librarians Council have prepared a letter for the UC faculty (PDF) describing this price increase and warning of a potential faculty-led boycott of NPG.

Some facts and information outlined in the letter:

  • In the past six years, UC authors have contributed some 5,300 articles to NPG journals, 638 in the flagship journal Nature.
  • UC author contributions have helped shape the prestige of NPG journals.
  • UC faculty also contribute a significant amount of time serving as reviewers, editors and advisory board members.
  • A fact sheet on UC Libraries Systemwide Journal Subscriptions and a list of NPG journals licensed by UC is also included in the letter.

Update 6/30/10:
The Nature Publishing Group has issued a response to the letter described above, and UC officials have issued a rebuttal.
» Details

Further reading:
» Chronicle of Higher Education (6/8/10) (UC access only)
» The Great Beyond: the Nature blog (6/9/10)
» CDLINFO news (6/9/10)

 

UC and Nature Publishing Group

Posted on by UC Berkeley Library

June 9, 2010: The Nature Publishing Group (NPG) proposes to quadruple the price of a UC license for Nature and its 67 affiliated journals. The magnitude of such a price increase for academic journals is unprecedented and unless the University of California and NPG can reach an acceptable pricing compromise, the UC would have to cancel its subscription to Nature and NPG publications, journals which are among the most prestigious of academic journals.

The executive director of the California Digital Library, along with the chair of the University Committee on Library and Scholarly Communication of the Academic Senate and the convener of the University Librarians Council have prepared a letter for the UC faculty describing this price increase and warning of a potential faculty-led boycott of NPG.

Some facts and information outlined in the letter:

  • In the past six years, UC authors have contributed some 5,300 articles to NPG journals, 638 in the flagship journal Nature.
  • UC author contributions have helped shape the prestige of NPG journals.
  • UC faculty also contribute a significant amount of time serving as reviewers, editors and advisory board members.
  • A fact sheet on UC Libraries Systemwide Journal Subscriptions and a list of NPG journals licensed by UC is also included in the letter.

Further reading:

 

 

Dissertation Writer’s Room Opens June 21

Posted on by Lynn Cunningham

 

Starting — or seeking to finish — work on your dissertation? Would a dedicated space encourage focus and concentration on your writing? Would being in the quiet company of fellow doctoral candidates from humanities and social science disciplines lend moral support to your efforts?

Graduate Division Dean Andrew Szeri and Doe Library’s Graduate Services staff are pleased to offer a new space dedicated to doctoral students advanced to candidacy: the Dissertation Writer’s Room, opening Monday, June 21, 2010, in 215 Doe.

Located at the rear of Graduate Services at 208 Doe Library, DWR hours will be Monday through Thursday, 9AM-9PM; Friday, 9AM-5PM; and Sunday, 1PM-9PM. As Graduate Services is reserved for the exclusive use of UCB graduate students, faculty, and staff, please remember to bring your UCB ID to show when you enter 208 Doe.

The DWR’s current capacity accommodates six students using the study tables and two using the reading chairs; this will be expanded as utilization increases. AirBears enables wireless Internet connections.

Overall, Doe’s Graduate Services is a study space for graduate students, housing ~25,000 volumes and a reserve library for graduate courses in the humanities and social sciences. The core collection comprises standard editions of core texts, works of major theorists, titles on Master’s exams reading lists, and other materials heavily used by graduate students in the humanities and social sciences. Graduate Services also houses the Modern Authors Collection (XMAC), comprised of the works of major 20th century English, American, and Anglophone literary authors,and a small collection of English and foreign language dictionaries.

By the way, in addition to the study spaces in Graduate Services, study carrels in the Gardner (MAIN) Stacks can be reserved by graduate students. Graduate students may apply at the Doe Circulation Desk for these carrels, and books from the Gardner (MAIN) Stacks may be charged out and kept in the carrels.

We hope you will check out this new space over the summer and in the coming academic year. Your feedback is most welcome; please write to graddean@berkeley.edu.