For scholarly publishing, the future is wide open. Across a wide range of journals and houses, Open Access business models have grown common in recent years. Heated debate on the merits of OA has cooled, while publishers accepted the inevitability of choosing “green” or “gold” roads for the journey ahead.
In April, Outsell – a well-regarded research and advisory firm focused on media, information, and technology – released Open Access 2015: Market Size, Share, Forecast, and Trends. Altogether, Outsell estimates, OA titles represent just under five percent of the $6.8B STM journals marketplace, yet they punch well above their weight in attracting media attention and generating industry conversation. According to report author Deni Auclair, the direction toward OA may be clear, but the path ahead is far from straight.
“Myriad business models, along with inconsistencies in funder mandates and compliance, result in today’s fragmented landscape,” she tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally. “Until there is consistency, confusion and falling back on the familiar or easiest route will continue to prevail. Such consistency is at least five years away, if not longer.”
In the report, Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC) was named one of “10 to Watch” for its development of the RightsLink for Open Access platform that automates the collection and management of Article Processing Charges (APCs).
“The OA solutions built into the platform help publishers and information managers where they need it most – with infrastructure to support OA business models,” Auclair notes. “As an active player in developing solutions for publishers dealing with the fragmented OA market, including APCs and funder mandates, CCC is a company to watch as it continues to work closely with all stakeholders to identify and address challenges.”
At Outsell, Deni Auclair is Vice President & Lead Analyst focused on the Science and Technology space. She has worked in publishing for most of her career, with a stint in Finance, working for a distressed debt institutional investment fund. Her latest industry positions include CFO of a small STM publisher and leading her own consulting firm serving primarily STM publishers.
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