A Maverick Panel Discussion
Many not-for-profit society and association publishers are navigating challenges arising from digital publishing but nevertheless recognise the need to transition revenue to safeguard against profit erosion. Subscription revenue is being threatened by Open Access and the need to be a part of a bigger deal or bundle, and large publishers are offering less attractive terms in publishing agreements.
Pressures on publishing revenue can threaten other programs that are offered as member benefits, resulting in a loss of membership. These trends collectively drive publishers to re-evaluate their programs, how revenue can be maintained and possibly achieve better value from existing products and markets.
Moderated by Maverick Senior Associate, Jeremy Brinton, our panelists consider various OA stakeholders; particularly funders and librarians to progress OA models, the effect of transformative agreements in the transition to OA, the diversification of income and product, and response by the panelists to an ever evolving and complex OA landscape in context of their publishing discipline and operation.
Perspectives are provided by Dr. Emma Wilson, Director of Publishing at Royal Society of Chemistry; Andy Utterback, Business Development Manager for the Public Library of Science (PLOS); and Rod Cookson, Managing Director of IWA Publishing. For organizations looking to increase market share, be sure to watch this informative discussion: Diversification and Sustainability in OA Publishing Challenges and Opportunities.
About the panelists:
Dr. Emma Wilson MRSC
Dr. Emma Wilson is the Director of Publishing at the Royal Society of Chemistry. She has over 16 years’ experience working in the scholarly publishing sector and has worked for both commercial and not for profit publishers in a variety of editorial, business development and strategic roles, joining the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2006. In her current role she has strategic responsibility for the Royal Society of Chemistry’s portfolio of journals, books, and databases. This includes engaging with the chemistry community and other stakeholders to ensure that the Royal Society of Chemistry’s publishing portfolio delivers against the Society’s mission to advance excellence in the chemical sciences.
Andy Utterback
Andy is the Business Development Manager for the Public Library of Science (PLOS), where he is responsible for building new and experimental business models for libraries to cover the publishing costs for all members of their institution in PLOS’ portfolio of journals. Previously, Andy worked as an academic librarian and has experience in the content development, content management, and scholarly communications space. Andy’s professional interest is in helping libraries, publishers, and scientists develop equitable and sustainable models to fund open access research. He remains actively involved in the scholarly communications library community, currently serving on the Association for College & Research Libraries (ACRL) Science and Technology Awards committee. When he isn’t working, he’s planning out all of the places he’ll be travelling once it is safe to do so again.”
Rod Cookson
Rod runs IWA Publishing, which helps give the world clean drinking water and safe sanitation. IWA Publishing is one of the first learned society publishers to completely transition its journals to Open Access. He is a Director and Council Member of ALPSP and a Council Member of the Society Publishers’ Coalition. Before IWA Publishing, Rod spent ten years at Taylor & Francis running the Medical, Life Science & Environmental journal portfolios. He has also worked for Blackwell Publishing, Reed Education and York Press.
Moderated by Jeremy Brinton, Senior Associate, Maverick Publishing Specialists
Over three decades of experience in publishing and book retail, Jeremy has gained an intimate understanding of publishers’ changing business needs. Informed by his senior and leadership roles in the UK and overseas, and responsive to market challenges, he has extensive experience in business development, account management, process optimisation, and project management.