The role of publishers in the publication process has traditionally involved printing, marketing and distributing publications, but also editing them and assessing their quality (peer review). The rise of the Internet and the opportunities offered by digitisation have brought about changes in this traditional role.
- There are many new alternatives to “paper” publication and distribution.
- The Internet has also provided alternatives as regards quality assessment.
- Universities and research institutes have developed institutional repositories.
- The possibilities opened up by digital distribution have altered the traditional cost model because the only costs are for the initial copy; the cost of further copies is virtually nil.
All these developments have led to changes in the relationships between the publisher, the author and the institution, thus requiring new arrangements and new guidelines regarding copyright.
The publisher needs to make new agreements with:
- the author – who now has alternatives to the traditional publication process;
- the institutions – which are now increasingly joining together in consortiums in order to conclude bulk licences for the use of electronic scientific/scholarly periodicals.
Besides revising their position in respect of these parties, publishers are also looking for a new economic equilibrium. One way of doing this is to develop new business models. There are now numerous publishers that provide an Open Access model which makes an author’s articles freely accessible immediately after publication.
What information does this website provide for publishers?
- A Licence to Publish that meets the reciprocal needs of the parties concerned with copyright.
Also:
- Copyright Management, an English-language website giving information about copyright policy for institutions. This focuses on how to achieve a balance between the interests of the various parties
- SHERPA/ROMEO database, an English-language website giving the copyright policy of a large number of publishers.
- UKB Licensing Agency (in Dutch).