T. Scott Plutchak

University of Alabama at Birmingham

UKSG

April 10, 2013

Publishers and librarians: we share the same values –

why are we fighting?

TechnologicalCultural and social

Challenges

Librarians are a group of talented professionals fiercely dedicated  to the

notion that the effective exchange of information among people is absolutely

essential to the welfare and well-being of modern civil society.  

They believe that market forces create barriers to achieving that end.

Publishers are a group of talented professionals fiercely dedicated  to the

notion that the effective exchange of information among people is absolutely

essential to the welfare and well-being of modern civil society.  

They believe that  market forces are the means to achieving that end.

Publishers only care about the money

Librarians are hopelessly, willfully naïve

Caricatures

Publishers want to lock information up

Librarians don’t care about quality

Caricatures

parallel worlds

so we are ignorant

NegotiatorsPartners

Collaborators

Knowledge will make us better

We Still Will Not Agree

Cool it with the emotionsAttend some publisher conferencesBe educated by your knowledgeable

facultyBuy a publisher a drink

Librarians

You are lousy at telling your own story

Be more transparentBe more open about your mission

and your decision makingSit in on some of the sessions at the

conferences you attend

Publishers

tscott@uab.edutscott.typepad.combeardedpigs.net