tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post6529148002346474889..comments2024-03-05T14:28:49.011-05:00Comments on Tolkien and Fantasy: Publishing Mordor-styleDouglas A. Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16844859516228160123noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-5386958747325798292013-10-23T12:18:23.041-04:002013-10-23T12:18:23.041-04:00Open access is indeed the only resolution to the s...Open access is indeed the only resolution to the scholarly publishing problem: it removes publishers altogether from the system. As things stand, they provide essentially nothing but the right to use a specific high-reputation title for the journal or conference. All money flows toward them, either as actual cash from the users, or as free labor from the authors and editors, making them pure <iJohn Cowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11452247999156925669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-75245361786580140202013-01-27T17:09:10.464-05:002013-01-27T17:09:10.464-05:00Mr. Anderson,
I have taught English, mostly remedi...Mr. Anderson,<br />I have taught English, mostly remedial, at a California Community College for twenty-five years full-time. Thank you for two things: this article, which makes me glad I did not submit any article to Tolkien Studies; and The Annotated Hobbit, which has been invaluable to me in teaching Science Fiction-Fantasy class at Los Angeles Pierce College, in Woodland Hills, California.<Lawrence Krikorianhttp://piercecollege.edunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-69104692858514852032012-05-12T08:22:37.770-04:002012-05-12T08:22:37.770-04:00Don't know what to say other than "wow&qu...Don't know what to say other than "wow" and that it is their great loss. Things really do seem to be coming to a head, so maybe we can hope that it might change in the near future. I'm not sure what a new system will look like, but there definitely needs to be one. There is another scam in academia, albeit fortunately not one we deal with in the Tolkien group at Kalamazoo; at anAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-13232280611967252572012-04-29T18:36:08.196-04:002012-04-29T18:36:08.196-04:00It seems almost futile to say it, but I, too, am v...It seems almost futile to say it, but I, too, am very sorry to hear this. <br /><br />I've had the pleasure of reviewing the last couple of issues for <i>Mallorn</i>, and I agree with Andy about the value of <i>Tolkien Studies</i> for us amateur scholars (or students) of Tolkien's work, and the thorough review section is an important aspect of this worth: getting an overview of what is Troelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07515711722551393026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-7117114566021716662012-04-26T05:36:33.556-04:002012-04-26T05:36:33.556-04:00Have you taken a look at Amazon's direct publi...Have you taken a look at Amazon's direct publishing options? I know the publishers make Amazon out to be the evil empire bent on cornering the market so that they will then be able to gouge artists and consumers with cruel prices... but that's basically arguing, 'if you let Amazon win then some day they will be as bad as we are!' Maybe yes, maybe no... but RIGHT NOW Amazon offers Conrad Dunkersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18329920580578899784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-45405460000206378502012-04-25T12:40:39.869-04:002012-04-25T12:40:39.869-04:00Here's a quote from the article:
Robert Darn...Here's a quote from the article: <br /><br />Robert Darnton, director of Harvard Library told the Guardian: "I hope that other universities will take similar action. We all face the same paradox. We faculty do the research, write the papers, referee papers by other researchers, serve on editorial boards, all of it for free … and then we buy back the results of our labour at outrageous Douglas A. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16844859516228160123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-25129659090544756902012-04-25T12:37:39.727-04:002012-04-25T12:37:39.727-04:00J.Z., Adam, Dimitra, Andrew, Brad: Thanks for the...J.Z., Adam, Dimitra, Andrew, Brad: Thanks for the comments. I had long known the situation with academic journals was a mess, but until the last year I didn't realize how overrun it is by greed and exploitation. It's been eye-opening to see how prevalent this problem is. A number of people have sent me URLs for current stories, and one in yesterday's The Guardian follows-up on the Douglas A. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16844859516228160123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-47755600092770418662012-04-25T09:23:19.065-04:002012-04-25T09:23:19.065-04:00Doug: I have been fighting this culture in academ...Doug: I have been fighting this culture in academia for years; may be finally making a dent. There may be a new development that you would be interested in; we can talk at Kalamazoo. Brad<br /><br />Dr. Brad Eden<br />Dean of Library Services<br />Valparaiso UniversityBrad Edenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06760039959182027648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-61015902581120301992012-04-25T04:23:17.666-04:002012-04-25T04:23:17.666-04:00Douglas
I real real shame - as an amateur Tolkie...Douglas <br /><br />I real real shame - as an amateur Tolkien scholar I can not tell you how important Tolkien Studies is to the research work I am doing and it is one of the key works I look forward to reading - your work on it has been very much appreciated and I hope this all works out. <br /><br />Best, AndyDr. Andrew Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16695949868240167504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-84271809563526310472012-04-25T03:41:34.203-04:002012-04-25T03:41:34.203-04:00Very sorry to hear this Doug. I am afraid I am onl...Very sorry to hear this Doug. I am afraid I am only very aware of many of the practices you describe. <br /><br />I have just ordered my copy of Evangeline Walton's collection of fantasy short stories you recently edited - I do hope that via Nodens Books (http://www.nodensbooks.com/) you will continue to make available some of the great, neglected, works of fantasy and share your wealth of Dimitra Fimihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17198064197525571748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-52211319317951960712012-04-23T20:22:58.859-04:002012-04-23T20:22:58.859-04:00Very sorry to hear this, Doug. And just as sorry ...Very sorry to hear this, Doug. And just as sorry to hear about the state of academic publishing. I'm confident you will continue to devote your time to worthwhile projects, including those from which you will (hopefully) find more appreciation and personal satisfaction.Adam M. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12174171725951187454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-7156075450511559102012-04-23T15:37:48.121-04:002012-04-23T15:37:48.121-04:00Let me add another perspective, pointed out to me,...Let me add another perspective, pointed out to me, from the Harvard Library: <br /><br />"We write to communicate an untenable situation facing the Harvard Library. Many large journal publishers have made the scholarly communication environment fiscally unsustainable and academically restrictive. This situation is exacerbated by efforts of certain publishers (called “providers”) to acquire,Douglas A. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16844859516228160123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-19864969025126802172012-04-23T14:27:43.637-04:002012-04-23T14:27:43.637-04:00Alf, Saranna, Janet, Marcel, Jason, Josh, and Doug...Alf, Saranna, Janet, Marcel, Jason, Josh, and Doug: I appreciate the kind words. I'm content with leaving the journal. There are other things to do, from the backlog and on the horizon ahead. Best to all, DougDouglas A. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16844859516228160123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-48915590787326030662012-04-23T14:16:52.840-04:002012-04-23T14:16:52.840-04:00I am one of those who regularly accessed and great...I am one of those who regularly accessed and greatly enjoyed TS through Project Muse, thanks to my membership of the Royal Library in The Hague (Netherlands). I am very sad to read this.J.Z. Herrenberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02386912897923397791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-1099690301326405312012-04-23T12:55:28.411-04:002012-04-23T12:55:28.411-04:00Wow, I am almost speechless. I am very sorry that...Wow, I am almost speechless. I am very sorry that you have had to deal with this, Doug, and sad for the loss to the Tolkien community that this will inevitably cause.<br /><br />Best regards,<br />DougAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-38913508426292426432012-04-23T11:50:38.948-04:002012-04-23T11:50:38.948-04:00Thanks Doug for all your hard work on TS. That is...Thanks Doug for all your hard work on TS. That is very unfortunate.Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12794552415673648703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-21061343191253362402012-04-23T10:17:04.841-04:002012-04-23T10:17:04.841-04:00What a regrettable loss for the journal! A screed ...What a regrettable loss for the journal! A screed is threatening to tumble out, so I'd better just leave it at that. You deserve better, Doug. Sheesh.Jason Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05809154870762268253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-62450097761892477462012-04-23T09:58:55.151-04:002012-04-23T09:58:55.151-04:00I am very sad to hear this but things have been co...I am very sad to hear this but things have been coming to a head for many years now. Quite obviously it is time to look for other options and if there are none implement them yourselves. Thank you very much for your great work!<br /><br />Best Wishes, <br /><br />Marcel BüllesMarcel R. Bülleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09537495830521624652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-39385586296927800932012-04-23T09:49:51.041-04:002012-04-23T09:49:51.041-04:00Alas, I signed in properly and all and it listed m...Alas, I signed in properly and all and it listed me as unknown. Janet Brennan Croft, editor of Mythlore.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05137730902179522502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-41901384702467923002012-04-23T09:12:59.194-04:002012-04-23T09:12:59.194-04:00Sorry to hear this, Doug. How unprofessional of WV...Sorry to hear this, Doug. How unprofessional of WVU -- and how chintzy, not to reimburse postage! This disrespect for the people who provide the content is going to come back to bite academic publishers -- I'm seeing encouraging rumblings. Mythlore remains stubbornly independent, for which I'm glad.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05137730902179522502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-60569308516624588972012-04-23T07:42:08.020-04:002012-04-23T07:42:08.020-04:00Sad news, and appreciation for all you have done f...Sad news, and appreciation for all you have done for TS - Orcs everywhere I guess.Sarannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10875490083776087957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6983947031591926293.post-65142568731906917332012-04-22T16:43:54.879-04:002012-04-22T16:43:54.879-04:00Very sorry to hear this, Douglas. I wish I could s...Very sorry to hear this, Douglas. I wish I could say I was surprised. <br /><br />These links might be pertinent:<br /><br />Cambridge mathematician Timothy Gowers on the problems of existing models for academic publishing:<br />http://gowers.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/elsevier-my-part-in-its-downfall/<br /> <br />An article in The Chronicle of Higher Education lays out some parallel issues here:<Alfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10958067552460104971noreply@blogger.com