What does Finch mean for researchers, librarians and publishers?

Authors

  • Steven Hall

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1629/2048-7754.25.3.241

Abstract

June 2012 saw publication of the Finch report into expanding access to published research findings, the UK Government's response to the report and the issuing of a revised policy on open access publication of research papers by the UK Research Councils. All appear to be driving the UK towards the world's most rigorous adoption of open access publication of publicly funded research outputs. This article looks at the potentially profound consequences of these steps for publishers, librarians and researchers in the UK, and for scholarly communications in general, not least for the centuries-old model of peer review. It concludes that the success of the policy will depend to a considerable extent on the availability of funding and mechanisms to support it.

References

Working Group on Expanding Access to Published Research Findings (‘Finch Group’), 2012, London: <a href="http://www.researchinfonet.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Finch-Group-report-FINAL-VERSION.pdf" target="_blank" >http://www.researchinfonet.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Finch-Group-report-FINAL-VERSION.pdf</a> (accessed 30 August 2012)\nWilletts D, 2012, London, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: <a href="http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/science/docs/l/12-975-letter-government-response-to-finch-report-research-publications.pdf" target="_blank" >http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/science/docs/l/12-975-letter-government-response-to-finch-report-research-publications.pdf</a> (accessed 30 August 2012)\nResearch Councils UK, Policy on Access to Research Outputs, 2012: <a href="http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/documents/documents/RCUK%20_Policy_on_Access_to_Research_Outputs.pdf" target="_blank" >http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/documents/documents/RCUK%20_Policy_on_Access_to_Research_Outputs.pdf</a> (accessed 30 August 2012)\nWorking Group on Expanding Access to Published Research Findings (‘Finch Group’), ref. 1.\nWorking Group on Expanding Access to Published Research Findings (‘Finch Group’), ref. 1.\nWilletts D, 16 July 2012, London.\nHoughton J , Economic implications of alternative scholarly publishing models. Study on behalf of the Joint Information Systems Committee, 2009, London, JISC: <a href="http://www.jisc.ac.uk/publications/reports/2009/economicpublishingmodelsfinalreport.aspx#downloads" target="_blank" >http://www.jisc.ac.uk/publications/reports/2009/economicpublishingmodelsfinalreport.aspx#downloads</a> (accessed 30 August 2012)\n

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Published

2012-11-05

Issue

Vol. 25 No. 3: November 2012

Section

Articles

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