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'


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


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 |


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


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


Epic lets developers self-publish on the Games Store

It's now much easier for game studios to release their work on the Epic Games Store. Epic has introduced long-awaited self-publishing tools that let anyone release games through its storefront. They'll have to pay $100 per title and meet certain requirements (more on those in a moment), but they... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-03-09 16:20:56 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sales figures #in-app purchases #large audience #large chunk #developing software #self-publish


Trump to publish book of letters from Kim Jong-un, Oprah Winfrey and others

Letters to Trump will contain 150 private letters written over more than 40 years, including correspondence with North Korean leaderDonald Trump has not yet announced a deal to write a White House memoir but he will publish a second post-presidential book next month – reportedly including... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-03-09 12:58:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kim jong- #oprah winfrey #including correspondence #north korea #richard nixon #memoir #publish book


Publishers are cynically using ‘sensitivity readers’ to protect their bottom lines | Zoe Dubno

As books become intellectual property assets, publishers become asset managers trying to future-proof their toxic investmentsThe news that many of Roald Dahl’s books had been edited by the publisher Puffin to excise “offensive references to gender and race” has unleashed a brouhaha among the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-03-09 11:20:19 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sensitivity readers #roald dahl #publisher puffin #literary establishment #future generations #puffin


International Women’s Day: PublisHer’s Bologna Stand

The new PublisHer pavilion at Bologna International Book Fair co-hosts an International Women's Day breakfast with Kids Can Press. The post International Women’s Day: PublisHer’s Bologna Stand appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-03-08 06:52:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #international women


Women Now Publishing More Books Than Men — And It’s Helping Sales

According to data, women are now publishing more books than men are, and it's affecting the publishing world in a big way. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-03-07 17:36:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing world


Researchers are using sound-waves and holograms to instantly mold tiny 3D shapes

The idea of growing organs or tissues for medical use still sounds like science fiction — and indeed, it's an incredibly difficult thing to do. 3D-printing technology has shown some promise in the field of biofabrication, but the process is too slow, and often damages the tissue it's working... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-03-02 21:40:40 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #3d printing #science fiction


Haruki Murakami’s first novel in six years will be published this spring.

It’s true: a new Haruki Murakami novel—his first since 2017’s Killing Commendatore—will be published on April 13th . . . but only in Japan. Sorry to tease you, English-speaking readers! Still, not to fret: I’m sure this means that translations are forthcoming. In the meantime, here’s everything... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-03-02 15:32:49 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #haruki murakami #first novel


Barnes & Noble to Overhaul Membership Program, Cut Free Educator Program

"Just use your library" is not the solution to the new price hikes and benefit decreases in Barnes & Noble's membership changes. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-03-01 12:57:36 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #barnes noble