Mastodawn

Andrea Leigh Ptak Mar 18, 2023

Don't be fooled. This initiative is not about #OpenAccess books. It's from publishers and authors who generally don't want OA for books. It's about free events about books (good) and transparency about the book industry (good), but not OA for books.
https://www.publishers.org.uk/the-pa-ba-and-aaa-join-together-for-openbooks-a-new-initiative-to-reach-the-next-generation-of-book-industry-talent/

PS: I can't tell whether the name is a marketing mistake by people unaware that "Open Books" is already a thing, and a thing in tension with what they are doing, or whether it's #OpenWashing.

The PA, BA and AAA join together for OpenBooks – a new initiative to reach the next generation of book industry talent

The Publishers Association, Bookseller’s Association and Association of Author’s Agents are proud to collaborate on the development of OpenBooks – a brand new series of free, accessible online events primarily targeting young talent from underrepresented backgrounds.

Publishers Association

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Jeff Moe Feb 23, 2023

@petersuber

Marketing teams think long and hard about phrases like this.

That group is run by oligarchs' representatives. It would be hard to believe they aren't aware that "open" books are a threat to their revenue streams and dominance.

They see "open" as a threat, so they will use it in other contexts to weaken the concept.

https://www.publishers.org.uk/about-us/governance/

Governance

Governance Our executive board consists of 20 representatives elected from the membership, including the Officers and Chairs of the Sector Councils. Officers President Nigel NewtonChief Executive Bloomsbury Vice President Antonia SeymourChief Executive IOP Publishing Past President David ShelleyCEO Hachette UK Council Annie CallananCEO Taylor & Francis Group Vivek GovilManaging Director, UK Education Oxford University Press Sharon HagueSenior…

Publishers Association

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Eric Hellman Feb 23, 2023

@petersuber My local library has a long standing event series called "Open Books, Open Minds" that has nothing to do with OA. I think the defensible term is "Open Ebooks"; "Open Books" already has too many meanings to be a good term of art. In other words, I'm afraid "Open Books" was a thing long before OA.