29 June 2006, British Library Conference Centre, London
During the 2005 consultative exercise on the RCUK draft position statement on access to scholarly outputs, the Learned Societies asked Research Councils to facilitate an event at which they could explore collectively possible alternative business models that would reinforce their role as bastions of quality assurance in the research process but support longer-term viability in the current evolving open access environment.
On the 28 Jun 2006 the RCUK published an updated position statement on access to research outputs. It has also developed plans to assess the impact of author-pays publishing and self-archiving on research publishing. This will report in 2008 when the RCUK position will be reviewed.
The workshop on 29 June 2006 was therefore a very timely opportunity for representatives from Learned Societies to discuss opportunities, challenges and new publishing models.
The main thrust of the workshop was given over to breakout groups at which representatives from Learned Societies were encouraged to discuss the objectives below:
- Identify key issues and opportunities that will arise from the RCUK position statement concerning self-archiving in repositories.
- Exchange of information including case studies on different models the Learned Societies could adopt in response.
- Consider what kind of evidence is needed to scope the study that will inform the review of the position statement in 2008.
Each objective was the subject of a presentation designed to stimulate discussion in the Breakout Groups and was given by the following:
- Objective 1: Stephen Pinfield, Assistant Director of Information Services, University of Nottingham.
- Objective 2: Mary Waltham, Publishing Consultant.
- Objective 3: Dr Ian Rowlands, Director - Information Metrics and Policy, CIBER.
Presentations from the programme are now available, as well as the report. 
RCUK would like to thank ALPSP, the Royal Society, the RIN, The British Library and the Science Council for their support and help.