WHAT, WHO and WHY?

A short guide to the players, stakeholders and technical terms relevant to Open Access publishing, "WHAT, WHO and WHY?" keeps readers informed about the world of Open Access.

What is SPARC?
The Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, commonly known as SPARC, describes itself as a "catalyst for action". A nonprofit organization, its overall mission is to make scholarly journals affordable. SPARC primarily operates in the science, technology and medicine (STM) arena. The European arm, SPARC Europe, is directly affiliated with SPARC but has a European remit and focus.

SPARC currently operates three main programs. The Alternatives Program provides lower cost, direct competitors to highly priced journals. The Leading Edge Program sponsors projects developing technological use or innovative business models. And the Scientific Communities Program supports the development of portals for distinct academic communities.

SPARC is also heavily involved in encouraging action from librarians and researchers. The Create Change campaign encourages advocacy, while Declaring Independence provides a guide to running academic journals that are controlled by the community, rather than by commercial publishers.

Who is behind SPARC?
SPARC was created with the support of the US-based Association of Research Libraries (ARL). SPARC is open to institutions from the US, as well as the international academic and research community, and currently has about 200 members in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. SPARC members - primarily universities and libraries - support SPARC through annual membership fees.

The umbrella organization for SPARC Europe is the Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche (LIBER), with additional support from organizations including JISC, a joint committee of UK further and higher education funding bodies.

Why does SPARC exist?
SPARC was launched in June 1998 by a group of libraries frustrated at high journal prices and the rapid rises in subscription costs. The founders established SPARC to promote competition in the scholarly publishing marketplace. The idea was to use libraries’ combined buying power to aid the creation and growth of high quality, low-priced peer-reviewed journals.

SPARC publishes the monthly Open Access Newsletter, edited by Peter Suber, which includes news and analysis about the Open Access movement. SPARC also hosts the Open Access Forum, an online discussion forum.