University of Bristol

Mike Taylor

Well, yesterday was insane.

In the morning, we had the UK House of Lords [report on its inquiry into
open
access](http://svpow.com/2013/02/22/the-house-of-lords-terribly-disappointing-report-on-open-access/ "The House of Lords’ terribly disappointing report on Open Access"):
fearful, compromised, regressive, and representing the latest stage in
[the inexorable defanging of RCUK's
policy](http://svpow.com/2013/02/22/the-progressive-erosion-of-the-rcuk-open-access-policy/ "The progressive erosion of the RCUK open access policy").

I happened to be going out yesterday evening; when I left the house it
had been the worst day for open access in recent memory. Then when I got
back three hours later it was to the news the the US Office of Science
and Technology Policy (OSTP) [had
responded](https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/require-free-access-over-internet-scientific-journal-articles-arising-taxpayer-funded-research/wDX82FLQ?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl)
to the \#OAMonday petition, issuing [a
memorandum](http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/ostp_public_access_memo_2013.pdf)
that greatly increases access to US government-funded research.

So it's one step back in the UK, two steps forward in America. With my
nationalist hat on, it's a shame to see Britain so cravenly abandon its
position of leadership in the worldwide move to open access. But I can't
really care too much about that. **Progress towards open access is not a
zero-sum game: when America wins, we all win.** And when we in the UK
win --- as we surely win --- everyone will benefit from that, too.

I won't go into details --- there's no need to, as [Peter Suber has done
a fantastically detailed
job](https://plus.google.com/109377556796183035206/posts/8hzviMJeVHJ) of
explaining what the new policy does and doesn't include, and how it
resembles and differs from the still very important FASTR legislation.
Get yourself over there are read up on the details.

Then crack open a bottle a wine and celebrate. This policy isn't
perfect, no, and there is still a lot of work to do. But **it represents
significant progress.** O happy day.

 


Well, yesterday was insane. In the morning, we had the UK House of Lords report on its inquiry into open access: fearful, compromised, regressive, and representing the latest stage in the inexorable defanging of RCUK’s policy. I happened to be going out yesterday evening; when I left the house it had been the worst day for open access in recent memory.

What an amazing day for open access

A couple of years ago, Matt wrote about [the conflict between authors
and
publishers](http://svpow.com/2011/09/30/authors-versus-publishers/ "Authors versus publishers").
Yesterday, two offical statements about [the FASTR
bill](http://svpow.com/2013/02/15/support-this-the-fair-access-to-science-and-technology-research-act-fastr/ "Support this: the Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act (FASTR)")
showed us with devastating clarity that publishers are opposed to
libraries, too.

FASTR, the Fair Access to Science and Technology Research act, wants to
extend [the NIH's open-access
policy](http://publicaccess.nih.gov/policy.htm) to all other US
Government departments with research budgets exceeding \$100M, and to
reduce the embargo period on new papers to six months, down from the
current twelve.

I won't insult the intelligence of long-time readers by explaining yet
again why this would be a good thing for research, medicine,
engineering, industry, education, and indeed [everyone and everything
except barrier-based
publishers](http://svpow.com/2012/05/18/publishers-versus-everyone/ "Publishers versus everyone").
Because for the purposes of this particular post **it doesn't matter
what's actually in the act.**

All you need to know is in the two statements: one [issued by the
Association of American Publishers
(AAP)](http://www.publishers.org/press/94/), and [one from the
Association of College and Research Libraries
(ACRL)](http://www.acrl.ala.org/acrlinsider/archives/6682). **AAP is
against the FASTR bill, and ACRL is for it.** For our present purposes,
it doesn't matter what their various reasons are. **All we need to know
is that publishers want the opposite of what libraries want.**

It's time to abandon the comforting but laughable fiction that
barrier-based publishers are our friends, our colleagues or our
partners. They're not. [They're our
enemies.](http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/jan/16/academic-publishers-enemies-science) Hard
words, but true ones. In the [immortal
words](http://dml.cmnh.org/2005Apr/msg00419.html) of Tom Holtz, "Sorry
if that makes some people feel bad, but I'm not in the 'make people feel
good business'; I'm a scientist."

---

"But Mike", you say. "Not all the publishers that are members of the AAP
agree with its stance." That is good news, Fictional Interlocutor. I
greatly look forward to seeing them break ranks, one by one, to
repudiate the AAP's antediluvian and anti-science stance. Bring it on,
Good Guy Publishers. I will be delighted to give credit just as soon as
some is due.

# Update (later the same day)

Great to see [this
letter](http://www.arl.org/sparc/bm~doc/oawg_thanks_fastr_final-copy.pdf)
in support of FASTR signed by ten important organisations: The American
Library Association, Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries,
Association of College & Research Libraries, Association of Research
Libraries, Creative Commons, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Greater
Western Library Alliance, Public Knowledge, Public Library of Science
and SPARC.

 


A couple of years ago, Matt wrote about the conflict between authors and publishers. Yesterday, two offical statements about the FASTR bill showed us with devastating clarity that publishers are opposed to libraries, too.

Publishers versus libraries

Western University of Health Sciences

Matt Wedel

[![Wire
skull](https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/wire-skull.jpg?w=328&h=336){.aligncenter
.wp-image-7778 loading="lazy" attachment-id="7778"
permalink="http://svpow.com/2013/02/15/support-this-the-fair-access-to-science-and-technology-research-act-fastr/wire-skull/"
orig-file="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/wire-skull.jpg"
orig-size="1578,1616" comments-opened="1"
image-meta="{\"aperture\":\"2.8\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"E4500\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"-62169984000\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"10\",\"iso\":\"242\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.22727272727273\",\"title\":\"\"}"
image-title="Wire skull" image-description="" image-caption=""
medium-file="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/wire-skull.jpg?w=293"
large-file="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/wire-skull.jpg?w=1000"
width="328" height="336"
srcset="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/wire-skull.jpg?w=328 328w, https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/wire-skull.jpg?w=656 656w, https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/wire-skull.jpg?w=146 146w, https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/wire-skull.jpg?w=293 293w"
sizes="(max-width: 328px) 100vw, 328px"}](http://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/wire-skull.jpg)

Big news yesterday. Identical bills were introduced into the US House of
Representatives and Senate that, if passed, will make federally-funded
research freely available within six months of publication. Here's the
exact wording, from the [press
release](http://doyle.house.gov/press-release/us-representatives-introduce-bill-expanding-access-federally-funded-research)
on Mike Doyle's (D-PA) website:

> The Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act (FASTR) would
> require federal agencies with annual extramural research budgets of
> \$100 million or more to provide the public with online access to
> research manuscripts stemming from funded research no later than six
> months after publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

As Peter Suber explains
[here](https://plus.google.com/109377556796183035206/posts/FZFvDhBLTzE)
and
[here](http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/hoap/Notes_on_the_Fair_Access_to_Science_and_Technology_Research_Act),
FASTR is a stronger version of FRPAA, the Federal Research Public Access
Act, which has been introduced in Congress three times before (2006,
2009, and 2012) but never come up for a vote. However, momentum for open
access is gathering, both on the supply side with progressive new
outlets like [eLife](http://www.elifesciences.org/) and
[PeerJ](http://peerj.com/), and on the demand side of, well, citizens
demanding access to the research they've already paid for, and
legislators increasingly agreeing with them. So FASTR  has a real shot
at getting to a vote, and if voted on, could well pass. Which would be
awesome, because [we all need access](http://whoneedsaccess.org/).

[![Raptor skull in
cardboard](https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/raptor-skull-in-cardboard.jpg?w=336&h=280){.aligncenter
.wp-image-7777 loading="lazy" attachment-id="7777"
permalink="http://svpow.com/2013/02/15/support-this-the-fair-access-to-science-and-technology-research-act-fastr/raptor-skull-in-cardboard/"
orig-file="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/raptor-skull-in-cardboard.jpg"
orig-size="1852,1544" comments-opened="1"
image-meta="{\"aperture\":\"2.9\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"E4500\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"-62169984000\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"10.9\",\"iso\":\"100\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.04739336492891\",\"title\":\"\"}"
image-title="Raptor skull in cardboard" image-description=""
image-caption=""
medium-file="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/raptor-skull-in-cardboard.jpg?w=300"
large-file="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/raptor-skull-in-cardboard.jpg?w=1024"
width="336" height="280"
srcset="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/raptor-skull-in-cardboard.jpg?w=336 336w, https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/raptor-skull-in-cardboard.jpg?w=672 672w, https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/raptor-skull-in-cardboard.jpg?w=150 150w, https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/raptor-skull-in-cardboard.jpg?w=300 300w"
sizes="(max-width: 336px) 100vw, 336px"}](http://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/raptor-skull-in-cardboard.jpg)

I am especially happy that FASTR has bipartisan sponsorship in both
houses of Congress. The sponsoring representatives in the House are Mike
Doyle (D-PA), Kevin Yoder (R-KS), and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). The identical
Senate bill was introduced by John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
So we've got Democrats from deeply blue states and Republicans from
deeply red states, which is awesome and totally appropriate, because
this issue really does cut across party lines. And, hell, last year
[Elsevier](http://thecostofknowledge.com/index.php) managed to [hire
bipartisan
sponsorship](http://svpow.com/2012/01/09/do-your-bit-to-oppose-the-evil-research-works-act/)
for their toxic--in more ways than one--and
[rapidly-killed](http://svpow.com/2012/02/27/this-just-in-the-research-works-act-is-dead/)
Research Works Act, so it's nicely symmetrical that politicians from
both sides of the aisle have come together to sponsor that bill's
near-opposite.

What can you do? If you live in the US, contact your legislators and
tell them to support FASTR! It takes almost no time at all and it makes
a big difference. This afternoon I called all five of the sponsoring
legislators to thank them, and I called my representative and both
California senators to encourage them to support the bill, and all told
it took just a little over half an hour. If you skipped the thank yous
and just got in touch with the legislators who represent you, it could
be done in 15 minutes, and you've probably wasted more time than that
today daydreaming about dinosaurs. Here's what you'll need.

Encourage your legislators:

- [Find your representative](http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/)
- [Find your
  senator](http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm)

Thank the bills' sponsors:

- [Senator John Cornyn](http://www.cornyn.senate.gov/) (R-TX): (202)
  224-2934
- [Senator Ron Wyden](http://www.wyden.senate.gov/) (D-OR): (202)
  224-5244
- [Representative Mike Doyle](http://doyle.house.gov/) (D-PA): (202)
  225-2135
- [Representative Zoe Lofgren](http://lofgren.house.gov/) (D-CA): (202)
  225-3072
- [Representative Kevin Yoder](http://yoder.house.gov/) (R-KS): (202)
  225-2865

This is big. This *matters*. Send an email, pick up the phone, make a
difference.

[![Rexy
skeleton](https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/rexy-skeleton.jpg?w=336&h=234){.aligncenter
.wp-image-7779 loading="lazy" attachment-id="7779"
permalink="http://svpow.com/2013/02/15/support-this-the-fair-access-to-science-and-technology-research-act-fastr/rexy-skeleton/"
orig-file="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/rexy-skeleton.jpg"
orig-size="1976,1380" comments-opened="1"
image-meta="{\"aperture\":\"4.1\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"E4500\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"-62169984000\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"10.6\",\"iso\":\"100\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0057504312823462\",\"title\":\"\"}"
image-title="Rexy skeleton" image-description="" image-caption=""
medium-file="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/rexy-skeleton.jpg?w=300"
large-file="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/rexy-skeleton.jpg?w=1024"
width="336" height="234"
srcset="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/rexy-skeleton.jpg?w=336 336w, https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/rexy-skeleton.jpg?w=670 670w, https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/rexy-skeleton.jpg?w=150 150w, https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/rexy-skeleton.jpg?w=300 300w"
sizes="(max-width: 336px) 100vw, 336px"}](http://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/rexy-skeleton.jpg)

I didn't have any really motivational "contact your legislators!"
artwork so the photos in this post are of papier mache dinosaurs--all
stinkin' theropods, I'm afraid--that I'm building with my son. More to
come on that soon, but in the meantime, [check this
out](http://tumblehomelearning.com/how-to-make-a-big-dinosaur-skull-for-very-little-money-free-instructions/)
and give it a whirl--*after* you contact your legislators!

[![The Three
Machesketeers](https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/the-three-machesketeers.jpg?w=336&h=252){.aligncenter
.wp-image-7780 loading="lazy" attachment-id="7780"
permalink="http://svpow.com/2013/02/15/support-this-the-fair-access-to-science-and-technology-research-act-fastr/the-three-machesketeers/"
orig-file="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/the-three-machesketeers.jpg"
orig-size="2272,1704" comments-opened="1"
image-meta="{\"aperture\":\"2.9\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"E4500\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"-62169984000\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"10.6\",\"iso\":\"100\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.04950495049505\",\"title\":\"\"}"
image-title="The Three Machesketeers" image-description=""
image-caption=""
medium-file="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/the-three-machesketeers.jpg?w=300"
large-file="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/the-three-machesketeers.jpg?w=1024"
width="336" height="252"
srcset="https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/the-three-machesketeers.jpg?w=336 336w, https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/the-three-machesketeers.jpg?w=672 672w, https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/the-three-machesketeers.jpg?w=150 150w, https://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/the-three-machesketeers.jpg?w=300 300w"
sizes="(max-width: 336px) 100vw, 336px"}](http://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/the-three-machesketeers.jpg)


Big news yesterday. Identical bills were introduced into the US House of Representatives and Senate that, if passed, will make federally-funded research freely available within six months of publication.

Messages de Rogue Scholar

What an amazing day for open access

Publishers versus libraries

Support this: the Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act (FASTR)