American Scientist Open Access Forum Has Migrated to GOAL (Global Open Access List)

The straw poll on whether or not to continue the American Scientist Open Access (AmSci) Forum (and if so, who should be the new moderator) is complete (the full results are reproduced at the end of this message).

The vote is for (1) continuing the Forum, under (2) the moderatorship of Richard Poynder.

The AmSci list has now been migrated to http://mailman.ecs.soton.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/goal where the BOAI list is also being hosted.

AmSci Forum members need not re-subscribe. All subscriptions have been automatically transferred to the new host site.

The name of the list has been changed to the Global Open Access List (GOAL) to reflect the fact that Open Access is no longer just an American or a Scientific matter. It has become a global movement.

The old AmSci Forum Archives (1998-2011) will stay up at the Sigma Xi site (indefinitely, I hope -- though we do have copies of the entire archive).

The new GOAL archive is at: http://mailman.ecs.soton.ac.uk/pipermail/goal/

Stevan Harnad

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Below are the complete results of Straw Poll on whether to continue the Forum, and on who should be the new moderator:

AGAINST CONTINUING AMSCI:

ARIF JINHA: I believe it would be better to have one forum, the BOAI. This forum has developed a doctrinal bias defined by the values and personality of its leadership. Though the leadership is to be commended for its credibility and vigour, it is not without its blind spots. It has not always OPEN to a diversity of perspectives. AMSCI is driven by assertive and competitive advocacy for mandates over Gold OA publishing. The rush to conclusion on the right path is premature and overly authoritative in its expression, therefore it is alienating. In truth, we have only really got started with the web in the last 10 years and authority is completely flattened by the learning curve. The BOAI is much wider in its representation of Open Access alternatives, it is therefore more neutral as well as having a wider reach for the promotion of Green OA. It means less duplication and less work devoted to instant communication, giving more time to develop a rigorous and scientific approach to meta-scholarship in the digital age.

FOR CONTINUING AMSCI:

DANA ROTH: I would disagree with Arif Jinha, in that it is the 'assertive and competitive advocacy for mandates over Gold OA publishing' that make AMSCI such an interesting listserv.

SUBBIAH ARUNACHALAM: First, I wish to express my grateful thanks to Stevan for all that he has done so far, and in particular for moderating this Forum for so long and so well. That he will continue to devote much of his time to promoting open access and institutional repositories gives me strength to do the same. Second, if Richard Poynder agrees (or if we could persuade him) to moderate this list, there is nothing like it. The baton would have moved to safe hands. Not only he has the stamina of a long distance runner, but he is also endowed with the qualities needed for a moderator. He is knowledgeable and levelheaded. Welcome Richard!

DOMINIQUE BABINI: Discussions and ideas in this forum are also inspiring for regional OA forums and lists, e.g., the Latin America and the Caribbean Open Access List (LLAAR, in Spanish). Thank you, Stevan, for your dedication as moderator all these years, and especially for your new OA initiatives and ideas. Thank you for your Skype contribution at the OA Experts Meeting last week in UNESCO headquarters, where we missed you [in person].  I also support Richard Poynder as [new] moderator for this Forum. 

MICHAEL E. SMITH: I am in favor of continuing the list, and either of the people you mentioned as potential moderators would be good choices.

PAOLA GARGIULO: I also agree that the list should continue. I'm in favour or Richard Poynder as moderator. Hope you will continue to contribute.

PETER SUBER: If Richard is willing to moderate, I vote for him.  I second Alma's reasons why Richard would do well in this role.  I second Arthur's best wishes to you, and I second (or third) Barbara and Hélène's tribute to your work.  Finally, as the former moderator of SOAF and BOAI, I welcome you to civilian life.  It's amazing what one can do when one has more time to do it.

BERNARD RENTIER: I vote for Richard Poynder. The excellence of his critical and fair papers speaks for his designation. If he is willing to do that, I am sure he will be an outstanding moderator. And that this will let Stevan be even more tirelessly to the point in every debate!

TOM COCHRANE: The value of the Forum cannot be overstated. It has provided a unique service in assessing the events and health of OA developments. It would be a regressive step in several ways if it were to fall over. It is not too much to claim that its way of charting developments, alerting readers to new issues, identifying useful research and work on OA, and in your hands, reminding its readership of the main issues – all these have had a direct impact on practical developments. This has occurred to a degree that no single one of us – from whatever part of the world -  can comprehensively take in. But believe me, it has played a vital role. But individual workloads need to be shared, and we at QUT understand your reasoning. We are happy with the Richard Poynder suggestion.

ELOY RODRIGUES: I also support Richard Poynder for moderator. I strongly support the continuation of the AmSci Forum, and I regret your decision of stepping down as moderator (even though I understand your reasons, and I do hope that it will turn out the right decision for you, and your efforts for OA progress). Thanks for your tireless work for Open Access! All the best (from Rio de Janeiro, where I was also archivangilizing for ID/OA mandates, at the Portuguese-Brazilian OA conference).

KEITH JEFFERY: I am sorry it has come to this; you know I support your point of view and moderation does require correction of misconceptions as well as just posting. I wish the Amsci list to continue and Richard is, of course, an excellent choice as future moderator.

ANDREW A ADAMS: I am in favour of the forum continuing to operate. I feel Richard would make an excellent new moderator.

PIPPA SMART: I am in favour of the forum continuing and would be very happy for Richard Poynder to moderate.

MARC COUTURE: I definitely wish the forum to continue. I may be only the occasional contributor, but I've always been a very steady reader. As to you not being the moderator anymore, I think it's even a good thing, not because I share the opinion that a moderator should be neutral and discreet, but because it will spare you some precious time you could devote to useful purposes, OA-related or not. Note that I assume we will continue to benefit, in the forum, from the seemingly inexhaustible energy and the flawless, razor-sharp logic of our "weary" archivangelist.

BARRY MAHON: As a long time stirring stick in the OA (hard to know what word to use to describe it) world, and having crossed swords with both Stevan and Richard over the years, I have a heavy heart in accepting Stevan's decision but an uplift that Richard has volunteered. It will, I wish, go on....and I'll be there, or here, whichever is the more appropriate.

JEAN-CLAUDE GUÉDON: I also think this list should go on. And  having Richard or Thomas moderate is a good idea too.

BOB PARKS: Congratulations on stepping down. I hope it gives you more time to pursue OA!!! Either Krichel or Poynder would be a good moderator.  I fear that Krichel is over committed.

HEATHER MORRISON: Thanks very much for moderating the list all these years! I hope that the list will continue, and would support either Richard Poynder or Thomas Krichel as moderators.

SALLY MORRIS: The support for Richard as moderator of the continuing list seems clear. We really don't need to see all the messages - I thought that was the point of keeping them off the list?

THOMAS KRICHEL: I think it should continue, as it appears to be the largest and most active forum.  I volunteer to do it….  If Richard wants to do it, I'd be happy not to.

RICHARD POYNDER: Well I certainly vote for it to continue. I would even put my name down for the moderator's hat if it was felt appropriate for a journalist to run such a forum, and people believed I could do the job adequately

ALMA SWAN: I am writing to nominate Richard Poynder as the new moderator for the AmSci Forum. I think he brings the right qualities - amongst them honesty, fairness, intellectual curiousness and efficiency - and is hugely respected as an independent, critical thinker on the issues that AmSci covers. I want the Forum to continue because it is a real discussion list rather than a bulletin board…

HELENE BOSC: In memory of the remarkable work done by Stevan Harnad for Open Access through this list, during 14 years, I wish it continues... Richard Poynder would be a perfect moderator!

BARBARA KIRSOP: If Stevan feels he can better operate in support of OA not as the moderator, then it would be great indeed if Richard Poynder would adopt the mantle. I think AMSCI should continue. I am somewhat in favour of a name change to highlight OA rather than the US - a name change could be a mini-re-launch perhaps and bring in new contributors - a fitting tribute to Stevan's past efforts.

ARTHUR SALE: May I wish you the best as non-moderator. It is the right decision for you, I think. This may be a shock to you that I think that it is a plus, but I think we need to get new ideas into the OA transition, and you have done your bit and a lot more… and perhaps I can even convince you eventually that the Titanium Road is the way to go now! You will be bombarded with messages begging you to reconsider, but I do think it is the right decision. Then you can enjoy being yourself without constraint. No one person can bear the weight of the world, not even Atlas.

IRYNA KUCHMA: The AmSci Open Access Forum is an active discussion forum (SOAF and BOAI are more like the announcement lists) and my answer is (1) definitely to continue. It's sad that you've decided to step down as a moderator. I wish I could help you with moderating it, but I am travelling a lot and sometimes not able to moderate the BOAI on time…. Hope you will find the ways to continue.

EUGENE GARFIELD: When I think about Stevan Harnad another information pioneer comes to mind. The Belgian documentalist Paul Otlet. His collaborator Henri LaFontaine,  received the Nobel Peace Prize. That's the kind of recognition that Stevan deserves.

MICHAEL KURTZ: I liked that AMSCI reflected your point of view, I value that,
and expect I will always.  I hope I will always be able to discover
it, perhaps you will frequently post.

THIERRY CHANIER : First of all, I would like to deeply thank Stevan  for his  continuous work over these more than 10 years. This forum is a very important place where supporters of OA can find information, and share their actions. I would be happy if Richard Poynder becomes our moderator. As Barbara (Kirsop) put it : it may be time to change the name of our forum, forget the American qualifier in order  to reflect its international wider status.

TONY HEY: I think that Stevan must take some credit from the UK Government's decision to insist on open access to publications and data ... Well done Stevan and thanks for all your tireless proselytizing on behalf of open access!