From: Eva Horn Moeller (ehorn$##$medchem.dfh.dk)
Date: Thu May 25 2000 - 03:47:12 EDT
Dear all,
this is indeed a very important and critical issue, and I am wholly
surprised that I havenīt thought of this or have heard a discussion of
this kind yet.
It is in fact absurd that the scientific habit of sharing information
globally is taken advantage of by the publishers. Many libraries cannot
lift the economic burden of keeping e.g. CAS, and many departments, as
some of you mention, end up choosing between very slow and difficult -
or very expensive access to chemical info. Now, the publishers can set
the price at any level they choose, and the libraries just have to pay.
Maybe we have been too naive. Especially because we, the researchers, in
theory have the power to shut off the commercial scientific publishing
at very short notice.
I really feel that something should be done about this, and the
discussion ought to be taken to a higher level. What are the opinions of
e.g. the Royal Chemical Society and the American Chemical Society on
this issue?
Best regards,
Eva Horn Moeller
(MSc, PhD)
The Royal Danish School of Pharmacy
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