Taxacom: Savage scientific publishers, another slant

[Richard Zander]

I've been sent email with many offers and requests from major publishers to contribute a scientific book that I would write (or be lead editor). No charge to me, promises of always being available in ebook form if hardcopy is unavailable. Sounds great as an alternative to paying an unconcionably high fee for open access.

Then...I examined the sales pages of some of these publishers, and that is where they lget you. US$150 is an average price for a newly published book with critical scinetific stuff worth reading and citing.

Ebook? Even more expensive. There is often an option to "rent" an ebook, for tons of money.

Those of us who contemplate publishing a book should check the price at which the book may be sold. Kindly do not choose a publisher that will restrict access to the book by a pay wall at the sales level. A colleague without a fat grant may like to read your book.


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Richard H. Zander
Missouri Botanical Garden - 4344 Shaw Blvd. - St. Louis - Missouri - 63110 - USA
richard.zander at mobot.org<mailto:richard.zander at mobot.org> Ofc: +1 314 577-0276
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