The publishing industry continues to consolidate, with large multinational publishers acquiring journals and other content from academic societies and independent publishers. This panel will provide candid insights into the challenges facing smaller publishers, including how/why they continue to exist in a business environment increasingly dominated by large companies. The discussion will also examine the advantages that smaller, independent publishers enjoy, and address their adaptation strategies, business planning (including open versus paid access models), strategic partnerships, technical infrastructure, production procedures, relationships with libraries, and the work needed to meet the evolving needs of library end users. The impact of industry consolidation on libraries, including that of the intermediaries between publishers and libraries, will also be discussed. The panel includes speakers from humanities, social science, and science publishers who can provide a range of perspectives from across the disciplines.
Audience members will take away a better understanding of the unique role that these presses play in the scholarly communications ecosystem. Attendees will be encouraged to ask questions and contribute to the group discussion after the panelists have shared their experiences.