by Dr Clare McCluskey Dean, Academic Liaison Librarian A recent revalidation of a course suite, in a subject area for which I am the library liaison, brought to a head the problems in providing online access to programme resources. This is both in terms of access during lockdown, preventing unnecessary handling of print sources and … Continue reading Promoting open access resources in programme (re)validations – Guest Post
Academics and ebooks : an example of what you can do to help.
With their fingers firmly in their ears, academic publishers are still busy trying to tout their ebooks to academics. Emails such as the following, which was received by academics today from Oxford University Press (one of the worst culprits in the ebook pricing scandal) I hope teaching is going well in this very unusual year.Like everyone else, … Continue reading Academics and ebooks : an example of what you can do to help.
The market in academic ebooks needs to change : How does the market in academic ebooks work? Not in the interests of students, staff or universities
WonkHE has published the blistering rebuttal of current academic ebook market practices, written by Anthony Sinnott, Access & Procurement Manager at University of York. It can be read here Thank you to Anthony for helping to raise the profile of these important issues and the campaign
Next steps : Competition and Markets Authority and what you can do to help.
Following the disappointing response from the Education Select Committee yesterday, we have been considering our next move. While it is fantastic that we have succeeded in raising awareness of the issue in Westminster, we are still in the position of not being able to buy key text books for our students during an ongoing global … Continue reading Next steps : Competition and Markets Authority and what you can do to help.
Response from Education Select Committee
We have just received the following response to our open letter from the Education Select Committee “Our Committee has a packed forward programme so we don't have any capacity for further inquiries at the moment. However, I am very aware of this campaign on the accessibility, cost and licensing of e-books and perhaps if we … Continue reading Response from Education Select Committee
Letter still open for signatures following media interest – please continue to share
Following coverage of the campaign by BBC New Online and Times Higher Education the issues are receiving much more attention with more people wanting to sign the letter. With this in mind, though Alex Chalk (MP) has delivered the letter to the Chair of Education Select Committee, we intend to keep the letter open for … Continue reading Letter still open for signatures following media interest – please continue to share
BBC News Online Feature : A Response to publishers
On Friday 13th November our campaign was featured on BBC News Online, University staff urge probe into e-book pricing 'scandal. Current academic publishing practice is a matter of public interest as it has a negative impact on society and, ultimately, we all pay the price. It was a fantastic article which raised the issue beyond … Continue reading BBC News Online Feature : A Response to publishers
Letter to be delivered & Evidence Needed
This week, Alex Chalk MP (Cheltenham) will deliver the open letter to Chair of the Education Select Committee, Robert Halfon MP. Alex will also bring the letter to the attention of Ministers Michelle Donelan (Universities) and Gillian Keegan (Apprenticeships and Skills). On 3rd November 2020, Michelle Donelan MP, answered the following question submitted to Parliament … Continue reading Letter to be delivered & Evidence Needed
Library Association of Ireland backs investigation into ebook publishing and calls on Irish Government to take action
The Library Association of Ireland (LAI) have released a statement supporting our campaign for an investigation into the publishing industry over its ebook pricing and licensing practices and calling on the Irish Government, publishers and other stakeholders to "recognise, and take action against, the electronic content crisis facing libraries and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic". … Continue reading Library Association of Ireland backs investigation into ebook publishing and calls on Irish Government to take action
Statement of Support from Welsh Higher Education Libraries Forum (WHELF) + 2,070 signatures received.
In a fitting end to the working week, we have sailed past the 2000 signature mark. We are also delighted to close the day with the receipt of a statement of support from Welsh Higher Education Forum (WHELF) The Chair and Vice-Chair of WHELF support this open letter on behalf of our board members and … Continue reading Statement of Support from Welsh Higher Education Libraries Forum (WHELF) + 2,070 signatures received.