Scientific publishing is a rip-off. We fund the research – it should be free | George Monbiot

Those who take on the global industry that traps research behind paywalls are heroes, not thievesNever underestimate the power of one determined person. What Carole Cadwalladr has done to Facebook and big data, and Edward Snowden has done to the state security complex, Alexandra Elbakyan has done to the multibillion-dollar industry that traps knowledge behind paywalls. Sci-Hub, her pirate web scraper service, has done more than any government to tackle one of the biggest rip-offs of the modern era: the capture of publicly funded research that should belong to us all. Everyone should be free to learn; knowledge should be disseminated as widely as possible. No one would publicly disagree with these sentiments. Yet governments and universities have allowed the big academic publishers to deny these rights. Academic publishing might sound like an obscure and fusty affair, but it uses one of the most ruthless and profitable business models of any industry.The model was pioneered by the notorious conman Robert Maxwell. He realised that, because scientists need to be informed about all significant developments in their field, every journal that publishes academic papers can establish a monopoly and charge outrageous fees for the transmission of knowledge. He called his discovery “a perpetual financing machine”. He also realised that he could capture other people’s labour and resources for nothing. Governments funded the research published by his company, Pergamon, while... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #alexandra elbakyan #modern era #academic publishing #significant developments #technical term

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Scientific publishing is a rip-off. We fund the research – it should be free | George Monbiot'


London Book Fair: International Publishers Association Events

The Geneva-based International Publishers Association is represented by speakers in a number of London Book Fair events. The post London Book Fair: International Publishers Association Events appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-03-31 19:43:11 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #london book fair #publishers association


Book Publishing's Bilingual Boom

Bilingual families, dual-language classes, and libraries serving communities with a large number of Spanish speakers are driving demand for dual-language titles for young readers in the U.S. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book publishing #bilingual families #large number #young readers #libraries


Children’s books publisher Peter Usborne dies at 85

Publisher pays tribute to ‘genius’ who was an ‘inspirational leader’Peter Usborne, the founder of the children’s books publisher Usborne and the co-founder of Private Eye magazine, has died aged 85, the publisher has announced.He died “unexpectedly but peacefully” surrounded by his family this... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-03-30 18:46:40 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #peter usborne #died unexpectedly #bookseller reported #bookseller #books publisher


Little Free Library Aims to Eliminate Book Deserts

The Little Free Library nonprofit literacy organization announced that it hopes to eliminate book deserts across the U.S. by partnering with local community organizations to install and maintain book-sharing boxes. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-03-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Audio Publishers Association Conference Spotlights Tech Disruption

The audio performers and publishers in attendance were encouraged to embrace the new tools of the trade, from TikTok to ChatGPT. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-03-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishers association


TV measurement should include homes with no TVs, research group says

Nielsen and rivals are challenged by homes that only stream to mobile devices, which are growing fast but not included in big data sets.  Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2023-03-27 14:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tv measurement #mobile devices #growing fast #nielsen


Two Seattle Indie Publishers Unite Around Small-Press Distribution

Joshua Rothes of Sublunary Editions and Phil Bevis of Chatwin Books have formed Asterism Books, a wholesale distribution portal and bookshop for independent small presses. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-03-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bookshop


Internet Archive violated publisher copyrights by lending ebooks, court rules

A federal judge has ruled against the Internet Archive in its high-profile case against a group of four US publishers led by Hachette Book Group. Per Reuters, Judge John G. Koeltl declared on Friday the nonprofit had infringed on the group’s copyrights by lending out digitally scanned copies of... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-03-25 16:46:29 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #early days #doors due #copyrighted works #legal challenge #maria pallante #global scale #google books #penguin random house #libraries


7 Newsletters That Will Help Get Your Book Published

For writers at every stage, the publishing industry can feel inaccessible. There are so many steps between drafting a book and seeing it out in the world. Especially for debut hopefuls, it’s more than a little intimidating: how do we know what we don’t know? Meanwhile, those who’ve already... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2023-03-24 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #electric literature #book published #publishing industry


Are Literary Agents Seeing Changes in Publishing with Increased Book Bans (A Survey): Book Censorship News, March 24, 2023

Are publishers acquiring fewer LGBTQ+ and diverse books in the wake of rising censorship? This week's book censorship news. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-03-24 10:40:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #diverse books #literary agents


NYU Takes On Yale Publishing Program

The five-day NYU Advanced Publishing Institute course for current mid-to senior-level book professionals will focus on the challenges facing publishers today, how to reach readers in new and effective ways, and the changing climate and culture of the book business. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-03-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reach readers #effective ways #book business


Publishers Remain Faithful to Fiction

Inspirational and faith-based fiction expands its subgenres and finds a ripe market of readers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-03-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Audiobooks in Spanish: Dosdoce Hands Publishers a ‘Map’

Dosdoce's Javier Celaya challenges the Spanish-language publishing industry to expand its share of a fast-widening audio 'ecosystem.' The post Audiobooks in Spanish: Dosdoce Hands Publishers a ‘Map’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-03-23 14:51:07 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post audiobooks #publishing industry


ATTACK ON TITAN Publisher Kodansha Launching Manga App

Kodansha, the publisher of widely popular manga like Attack on Titan and others, is launching a manga app this year. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-03-22 20:54:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #manga #kodansha


'Attack on Titan' publisher Kodansha is launching its own Manga app

Reading some of your favorite Manga series may be getting a little easier soon: Kodansha, the publisher behind hit titles like Attack on Titan and Ghost in the Shell, has announced that it's launching a new digital reading platform in May. Simply titled, K Manga, the new app promises to launch... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-03-21 14:00:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #popular series #back catalog #sailor moon #manga #kodansha


Sheikh Zayed Shortlists: Translation, Publishing and Tech, and Arab Culture

Selected from a total 469 nominations, these are the shortlists of three of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award's nine categories in its 17th edition. The post Sheikh Zayed Shortlists: Translation, Publishing and Tech, and Arab Culture appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-03-20 09:32:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #arab culture #17th edition #zayed book


Publishers, Internet Archive Set for Key Hearing Today

After nearly three years of legal wrangling, a federal judge today will hear cross motions for summary judgment in a closely watched lawsuit challenging the legality of the Internet Archive's program to scan and lend print library books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-03-20 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #legal wrangling #summary judgment #internet archive


Fast-Growing Independent Publishers, 2023

Publishers used different strategies to maintain, and extend, sales gains in 2022. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-03-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sales gains


Publishing Industry Sales Rose 3.5% in January

Despite high returns, sales for the 1,240 companies that report results to AAP's StatShot program increased 3.5% in January, with the adult books segment leading the way. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-03-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #report results


Monkfish Names New Associate Publisher, Partners

Jon M. Sweeney, previously of Orbis Books, has joined Monkfish Book Publishing Company as associate publisher. Sweeney joins Colin Rolfe and Anne McGrath as newly named partners, taking an equity interest in the company. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-03-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #associate publisher #book publishing