The Brief

Subscribe to Open (S2O) is an emerging OA model that is attracting attention — but for authors with funder mandates, submitting to a S2O may create a “Schrödinger’s cat” situation. Plus: PLOS’s new journals, CAS’s journal watch list, RIP Microsoft Academic Search, the STM Article Sharing Framework, and more.

We talk a lot about the “Buckets of Money” problem at C&E. It is frequently said that there is enough money “in the system” to transition globally to open access (OA). The problem is that the money is in the wrong buckets. In this issue we explore the landmark Elsevier-University of California “transformative deal” and how UC has attempted to solve the buckets of money problem. We also discuss the Plan S Right Retention Strategy, Google Scholar’s new “public access” feature, and other topics.

An important albeit rarely invoked maxim is that if someone offers you a 7-times multiple of revenue for your publishing company, you take the deal. The more salient question is, Why would Wiley pay $298 million for a $40 million journal publisher with no recurring revenues? In this issue we explore the Wiley-Hindawi deal, the Plan S Rights Retention Strategy, a takeover of a journal by “rogue editors,” the rise of newsletter services, and other topics.

The Plan S Rights Retention Strategy (RRS) has raised concerns among publishers, including many notable open access publishers. Elsevier follows Nature’s lead in announcing APC pricing for its flagship Cell portfolio (hint: not cheap). Ithaka S+R releases an extensive survey of library directors. eLife announces it will only review preprints.

Springer Nature’s extensive efforts to cooperate with open access (OA) mandates, including their new Nature Gold OA program (and its accompanyin $12,000 APC). cOAlition S’s inadequate Journal Checker Tool. The growth in the scientific literature during the pandemic, an AI tool for summarizing research papers, and more.

PLOS announces Community Action Publishing (CAP) and seeks to move two highly selective Gold open access (OA) journals. Springer Nature cancels its IPO, but intends to offer Plan S across its entire journal portfolio. Wiley launches Natural Sciences, a broad-scope journal for authors affiliated with Projekt DEAL.

The Springer Nature and ResearchGate pilot project on making proprietary content openly accessible is a success. Open access (OA) publications are disappearing from the Internet. Making changes to peer review process, maximizing revenues through the SME market, and academics tweeting about preprints.

Bill Gates interview with Steven Levy, says most COVID-19 tests in the US “are completely garbage” and social media is a “poisoned chalice.” But he’s optimistic, placing his bets on massive innovation. A new library consortium in Texas, free access to scientific literature during the pandemic, and more.

HighWire Press, once the most prominent start-up in scholarly communications is sold to MPS for a stunningly low sale price. cOAlition S pens letter to publishers, providing several paths to compliant OA. The European Research Council is pulling out of Plan S. And more.

COVI-19 research scandals, accommodating budgets and reducing publishers’ fees, and openness of scholarly communications. Dealmaking in scholarly publishing. UCL and Springer Nature make a deal, MIT and Elsevier end negotiations, and OSU and Taylor & Francis enter into read and publish agreement.