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 ]
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As glad as we are that digital bookstores let authors skip the usual gatekeepers, that doesn't help much if they can't get noticed. Apple is giving those self-publishing writers more of a chance to shine with the launch of a permanent Breakout Books section in the US iBookstore. The section... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2013-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Today, perhaps the most ambitious and aggressive community in publishing is self-publishing. How practical is it for a self-publisher to pursue licensing deals? Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-02-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Education secretary Michael Gove's announcement of changes to the A-Level exam system has... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google's long had a contentious relationship with France. But it seems the Mountain View-based company has come up with a way to squash that problem: by throwing money at it. Taking to the company's official blog today, Chairman Eric Schmidt announced the creation of a €60 million Digital... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2013-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Egmont UK has commissioned a new research programme as part of a wider initiative by the company... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Last year was a big one for publishing on Kickstarter. The Web site is the most popular crowdfunding online destination, with 1,666 projects successfully funded in the publishing category, and a total of $11,057,252 pledged. In addition, $8,482,598 was raised for comics, which are listed as a... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In what's become a trend, Korean publishers are opening popular bookstore cafes. Should more Western publishers follow suit or is bookselling no longer part of their DNA? Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A new research centre at Glasgow university will examine "the changing nature of... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The American Library Association has created a scorecard that asks library workers to grade publishers on the way that they are offering ebooks for lending. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The c.e.o. of Foyles has called for publishers and suppliers to support bookshops with better... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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To mark its 50th anniversary the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, will award six new prizes for publishers at the "forefront of innovation" and "creative editorial choices." Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Despite the advances in digital books and storytelling technology, Penguin executive Jeff Gomez says that publishers have so far focused on the wrong things. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Two California men have sued Lance Armstrong and his book publishers for fraud and false advertising, claiming that Armstrong's two best-selling memoirs were bunk. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The group title under which the combined lists of Frances Lincoln, Aurum Press, Jacqui Small,... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Head of Zeus and AudioGO are to co-publish audiobook versions of titles in light of the audio... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Two US book buyers are suing cyclist Lance Armstrong and his publishers Random House US and... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Seven Stories, the national centre for children's books, is making a final push to galvanise... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Simon & Schuster is set to publish an “angling adventure full of drama” titled... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Aurum imprint Jacqui Small Publishing is moving into the illustrated ebook market, starting next... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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George Lossius forecasts a year of significant change for academic publishing, including more consolidation, improved digital textbooks and the rise of mobile. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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