The open access movement is the current hot-button issue polarizing the professional and scholarly publishing communities. On one hand, scientists and researchers argue that information published based on research that was funded by taxpayers should be readily available to the public. On the other hand, commercial publishing houses who profit by making the information available through subscription-funded journals and services argue that there is a cost to produce the information and therefore justify their business models.

Perceptions and hype aside, what impact is open access really having on the business of professional and scholarly publishing? Open Access: Market Challenges and Opportunities -- a new Simba Information Business Brief -- takes a hard look at all sides of the issue to boil down the most critical information you need to keep you one step ahead of your competitors.

With the number of open access publications on the rise, is it time for you to choose an open access model? Open Access: Market Challenges and Opportunities will help you make an informed decision, by analyzing the differences between open archiving and delayed open access, and also by shedding light on the activities of the 10 largest STM publishers. Open Access: Market Challenges and Opportunities looks at all sides of the argument to offer insight into the key issues driving the debate:

• Is open access inevitable?
• Can STM publishers benefit from an open access business model?
• How has government influence affected publisher adoption of open access in the U.S., U.K. and Europe?
• What impact are shrinking library budgets having on traditional journal subscription revenue?
• Has the launch of PubMed Central by The National Institutes of Health (NIH) changed open access in the U.S.?
• And more