In the wake of the Irish library associations’ statement on the outrageous behaviour of Wiley (and ProQuest, who apparently sat on the news of the withdrawals for two years before informing libraries), the news has made the Irish press and galvanised student unions.
The issue has been reported in the Irish Examiner twice, once on 21 Sept and again on 22 Sept. The Students Union at University College Dublin also released a statement on the issue, saying that:
“UCD Students’ Union stands with the Library Association of Ireland and other Higher Education Institution Librarian organisations, and supports the #ebooksos campaign. Students now more than ever rely on eBooks to continue their education, as a result of the accommodation crisis many students face long commutes and are unable to access print copies of core texts. In the interests of an equitable and accessible education system we call on the government to address the licensing conditions at the core of this issue rather than simply increasing funding to these unsustainable publishing practices.”
Martha Ní Riada, Education Officer at UCD Students’ Union
In a principled stand, Dr Philip de Souza, Associate Professor in Classics at University College Dublin, also resigned his position as contributor to the Wiley Encyclopedia of Ancient History, due to “disgraceful action with regard to its ebook collections, of which the EAH is a part.”
We are yet to see any statement or action on this issue from sector bodies and leaders in the UK.
