The BOAI Org and the National Council of Rectors of Costa Rica (CONARE) recently co-organized a webinar that focused on the worrying trend of diamond open access journals adopting, or considering to adopt, the APC model. Speakers included Arianna Becerril-García, Leslie Chan, Saray Córdoba and Peter Suber. The event was moderated by Andrea Mora Campos with simultaneous interpretation in Spanish and English.
Saray Córdoba noted the challenges faced by diamond journals in the region, including financial constraints and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. She emphasized the need for consistent policies and funding to support these journals and noted the political and economic challenges that affect the sustainability of OA initiatives in Latin America.
Data on a survey conducted by Redalyc was shared by Arianna Becerril-García. The survey found that since the pandemic, 137 of Redalyc’s 1,717 journals have adopted the APC model. In addition, Becerril-García highlighted the trend of journals adopting English as the primary language to attract more submissions and funding which raises concerns about the exclusion of local languages and the impact on regional research.
Peter Suber suggested that research needs to be done to determine why some diamond journals are considering adopting the APC model and what benefits they believe they will gain. He noted that many prominent open access journals use APCs, which might influence other journals’ decisions, yet he emphasized the need to challenge the common belief that APCs are the only viable model for open access journals.
And Leslie Chan emphasized the need for consistent policies and sustainable funding models, including community support and minimal cost coverage. He discussed the negative perception of APCs and the need to understand the reasons behind their adoption.
Action Items coming out of the workshop include:
- Investigate why some diamond journals are considering adopting the APC model and what benefits they believe they will gain.
- Identify easy and obvious ways for libraries, universities, governments and other institutions to financially support diamond journals, similar to how they support APC-based journals.
- Work with decision-makers to develop policies that protect diamond journals.
- Explore strategies to maintain the diamond model that have been successful in Latin America and prevent the loss of local research agendas and language diversity.
The organizers acknowledged that there was insufficient time to properly address this critical issue in one webinar, and agreed to launch a series of webinars over the coming months. Simultaneous interpretation in Portuguese will be included in future events.
To view the video of the webinar, please click here. (video begins at 4:12).