Why we should pay attention to academic publishing

As we consider how knowledge is created and disseminated, and eventually organized in various ways, we should give some attention to scholarly and academic publishing. This has a big impact on how faculty in research institutions are compensated and otherwise rewarded. The open access movement has been working to make more information freely available, but the major academic publishers still hold a grip on the world of research. Much of this research is funded with public money, yet is still held within the copyright grasps of the major publishers. It is yet another way public funds are redirected into the hands of corporations, albeit indirectly. Give this article a read.

Monblot, George. "Academic Publishers Make Murdoch Look Like a Socialist." The Guardian. 29 Aug. 2011. Guardian News and Media Limited. 30 Aug. 2011. Web. < http://gu.com/p/3xgdn >

Library Inc. - The Chronicle Review - The Chronicle of Higher Education

This is a good article that addresses many of the issues we raise in INFS 1000 - production and creation of information, access to information, homogenization of available resources, etc. I encourage you to read it.

Library Inc. - The Chronicle Review - The Chronicle of Higher Education

Google's Book Search: A Disaster for Scholars - The Chronicle Review - The Chronicle of Higher Education

Here are a few reasons why truly good research needs to involve more than just a good Google search and preferably involves a professional librarian or two.
Google's Book Search: A Disaster for Scholars - The Chronicle Review - The Chronicle of Higher Education

Scholars Test Web Alternative to Peer Review

From the New York Times via Library Link of the Day, which, by the way, is a great little email service to stay on top of library and information-related news. I highly recommend it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/24/arts/24peer.html

Scholars Test Web Alternative to Peer Review [The New York Times]

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Library Link of the Day

http://www.tk421.net/librarylink/ (archive, rss, subscribe options)

How Junk Food Giant PepsiCo Is Buying Up High-Ranking Experts to Look Like a Leader in Health and Nutrition | | AlterNet

This article provides a good example of how corporate interests can influence research and how seemingly objective information can be tainted by conflicts of interest. We need to put on our "information literacy" hats regularly and consider the sources of our information. If you feel like it's hard to know who to trust, you're getting the right idea.

How Junk Food Giant PepsiCo Is Buying Up High-Ranking Experts to Look Like a Leader in Health and Nutrition | | AlterNet

Is Weed Killer in Drinking Water Dangerous? Govt. Is Letting the Chemical Industry Come Up with the Answer | | AlterNet

How many industry-funded studies do you think will show that atrazine is harmful to the environment and/or humans? How many of those studies do you think will be published in peer-reviewed journals that people can obtain and read for themselves?

Is Weed Killer in Drinking Water Dangerous? Govt. Is Letting the Chemical Industry Come Up with the Answer | | AlterNet

MinnPost - St. Thomas Prof. John Abraham in royal smackdown with global-warming denier Christopher Monckton

This is what can happen when you take the time to research what someone says and do your own fact-checking.

MinnPost - St. Thomas Prof. John Abraham in royal smackdown with global-warming denier Christopher Monckton

Even the Publishers Are Duped Sometimes

Or, they're simply corrupt. But, in any case, take a look at this story:

Elsevier confirms 6 fake journals; more comments Bob Grant, Elsevier published 6 fake journals, The Scientist, May 7, 2009.

Scientific publishing giant Elsevier put out a total of six publications between 2000 and 2005 that were sponsored by unnamed pharmaceutical companies and looked like peer reviewed medical journals, but did not disclose sponsorship, the company has admitted.

For more, go to: http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/2009/05/elsevier-confirms-6-fake-journals-more.html

Change has come to America

And, with the inauguration, so to a new WhiteHouse.gov.

From an information literacy/library preservation perspective, the National Archives will be capturing the previous administration's web documents for "digital posterity."