A nice analysis of the economics of open access publication for academic societies. As the author notes, the bulk of income for these societies is derived from journal subscriptions, so at first glance they would take a significant hit were fees to be waived. But for many societies (probably the majority), the cost of publishing the journal exceeds subscription revenues, and so the publication is in general a drain on revenue from mebers' fees. Associations would come out ahead were they to abandon the print publication and move, as so many have already, to a free online publication. "With print there was reason to make readers and libraries pay for elaborately published volumes, prepared in specialized print shops, well-bound on good paper, meant to stand as a permanent scholarly record of scientific and intellectual achievement. The Internet changes what it means to go public."
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