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November 2015

Pp. 29-30 of HE Green Paper show that stuff on fee "incentives" is about de-funding. All stick with little carrot for existing institutions.

Giving closing keynote at SCONUL winter meeting tmrw. Theme is "disruptive innovation". Ug. I'll be asking: who will disrupt the disruptors?

Quite an incredible day for OLH behind the scenes. #cryptic I know, but more soon. Now off to celebrate @the_blochian's book launch.

Talks this week in Amsterdam, Aberystwyth and London. We'll also announce the result of the first @openlibhums Library Board vote.

Many of the questions aren't answerable before metrics and process have been decided, which is deferred as a detail in the GP.

The more I read the Green Paper, the more I see it's just a range of desired behaviours with virtually no details of the implementation.

Have had 2 bad @british_airways trans-at flights this week. 1st: no working light or screen. Now stuck on tarmac for 2 hrs for engine prob.

Publisher talking about doing plagiarism checks at the point of revisions, because that's where they're sure it will go ahead #Crossref15

But does this change social perception of DOIs? Most researchers have no idea what these things are & just see many URIs. #crossref15

Lots of talk about "best practice". Sceptical of this discourse; what does it mean? If it's "best" then can it be contested? #crossref15

Not even process of "review" should override that, let alone e- vs. non-e. Of course, I do encourage them to read the scholarly lit!

When my students cite non-peer-reviewed items but do amazing work w/ them they can have credit. It's thought/research that matters not form.

US meetings famously start early, but when jetlagged I end up going "full hobbit". (Two breakfasts b/c I'm hungry around 4am!)

While we're on projects: I'm still interested in establishing a BitTorrent-based digital preservation system for OA articles & data #opencon

But producing versions for different audiences & seeing how they propagate (& encouraging this for societal good) may be worthwhile #opencon

Altmetrics can be a good idea alongside stratification of research outputs. Some basic res. will never score well with AMs. #opencon

To answer Sweeney's Q: I want a world where everyone can read our work & the university is better integrated with society. #opencon

When did the option of a scientific retraction as a practice of professional academic publishing become available? #opencon

Farewell to committed Pynchon reader & well-loved community member, Dave Monroe (1966-2015). We will miss your warmth & enthusiasm.

Thanks to all who listened to my talk. Not sure it was the most coherent I've ever given, but then I don't feel great today,

Tomorrow I'll be speaking on the Cambridge University Press live stream about the future of open access. Sunday, speaking at OpenCon.

When I taught at Sussex @SouthernRailUK train was late every week. Doing journey for first time in years & today a delay + cancellation.

Along other things, academic panic around APCs & BPCs is exposure to a previously hidden, systemic, but devalued inequality of access.

Up and off to Sussex nice and early today, reminding me of my first university teaching job there. Can't say I miss the journey.

Great evening on a panel with @monarchomach @sarahchurchwell @gregg_sh @LyndseyStonebri & @pipwillcox. Thanks to @jfwinters for organising!

But we make existing institutions that do that accountable via FOI. So should we introduce FOI it new entities or abolish it for existing?

Don't you just love how the logic in the green paper goes: so, we're giving private entities access to public funds via the loan book.

Can't say how exciting it is writing up journal migration proposals (subscription -> OA) for our OLH library board. Feels wonderful.

A correction to my post, which I will update as soon as I can get to a computer. Seems Elsevier bought North Holland in the 80s, not 90s.

Love it when a press release goes: you just don't understand, poor things, here are some FACTS. Usually signals untrue drivel to follow.

Excited to be soon putting four previously subscription journals to our first @openlibhums library board vote for flip to fee-free gold OA!