Partnering on Copyright

A Communication Plan For The 'Partnering on Copyright' Programme

As for all such initiatives, a communication plan must be created so as to help ensure that the 'Partnering on Copyright' project is as effective as possible. This makes sure that a consistent and targeted message is communicated to all stakeholder groups using the most effective communication methods and activities for each group. This communication plan forms the basis of the 'Know Your Rights' advocacy toolkit, and provides an important platform from which future review and change of the initiative may ensue.

The project communication plan contains:

• a list of stakeholder groups;
• the aims and objectives of the project;
• the core messages for each group;
• the appropriate communication strategies, including communication methods and materials for each group; and
• the evaluation of the project.

For a simple guide on how to create a communication plan click here.

LIST OF STAKEHOLDER GROUPS

The ‘Partnering In Copyright’ project is aimed at all those who are involved, and have an interest, in scholarly publishing and self-archiving. The most important stakeholder groups, especially with regards to copyright issues, are as follows:

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) - Academic Authors

This is the major group as it is their work that needs to be made freely accessible to all, including themselves as end-users and researchers.

Within this group there are variations according to the level of knowledge and experience of open access and self-archiving. These can be broken down into:

1. Those who are particularly interested in OA and already self-archive.
2. Those who are keen on the concept of self-archiving, but do not know much about it and have only said they will deposit, or have only deposited one or two papers.
3. Those who are against the idea of self-archiving, feel that there is too much extra work involved or are just not interested in the concept.

Each of these sub-groups will need to be targeted slightly differently, with group 1 being used as an example for the others, i.e., as ‘champions’ (see the Identifying 'Champions’ for more details), and groups 2 and 3 being approached as one, as it is not easy to identify them as completely separate groups.

It is interesting to note that academics may be self-archivers ‘by default’ (“his or her papers being archived by co-authors or by proxy archivists (librarians, archive administrators, colleagues).” (Swan & Brown, p.30). This results in the fact that some academics can be considered as self-archivers, but do not know that their work resides in a repository, or may not know enough about the process to be considered a true self-archiver. This is sometimes the case even at the University of Southampton where self-archiving is mandatory, but colleagues or departmental administrators actually deposit the papers (Swan & Brown, p.31).

HEIs - Senior & Operational Management

This group includes:

1.Senior Management

Vice Chancellors (VCs), Deputy Vice Chancellors and Principals of institutions in the UK, as well as University Rectors in The Netherlands. This group also comprises, Pro Vice Chancellors for Research, Pro Vice Chancellors for Teaching, Heads of Schools/Faculties and Heads of Department.

This is another particularly important group to target, as they directly affect the academic institution’s policies, and can add great weight to the open access and self-archiving initiative. This group also includes Director of Curriculum, Director of Human Resources, Director of Staff Development, and Director of Information Services.

2.Operational Management

This sub-group includes Head Librarians, Learning and Resources Managers, Heads of Learning Resource Centres, Registrars, and Directors of IT. These work more closely with staff, and so have an important role to play in providing training and development. They are also in a position to encourage the adoption of self-archiving practices in their work environments.

Both senior and operational management need to be targeted.

HEIs - Institutional Repository (IR) Administrators and library staff

This group is in the front line when it comes to providing access to research output, and so is in a great position to most effectively promote and encourage self-archiving.

Subject librarians also have a significant role to play as they can work closely with repository administrators to enable the most efficient targeting of particular groups of academics. They should already be in regular contact with specific departments, and so know more about the working environment and information needs of the academics there. In the Netherlands their role is being discussed in the DARE & Co group.

As the role of IR administrators and library staff is to send out a particular message to the academics and HEI management, it is very important that they have the required knowledge of OA and self-archiving issues and are aware of the action which must be taken to get the message across most effectively.

The message must also be consistent, and not conflicting as this may result in confusion. This fact underlines the importance of collaboration between stakeholder groups in order to work out the core themes and messages and how best to communicate these.

Publishers

It must also be noted that publishers are another stakeholder group which some of the individual projects target. Though publishers are not one of the main stakeholder groups it is still worth noting what their core messages are with regards to the 'Partnering on Copyright' programme.  

A good working relationship between the HEI, academic authors and publishers is essential to further the open access cause. Publishers are in a position to develop optimal copyright management policies and contracts so as to allow and encourage authors to take the OA route. These copyright policies can only be created through the co-operation of all parties involved, identifying and addressing the problems and concerns of both authors and their employing institutions, while ensuring a balance of rights in the process of scholarly communication.

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AIMS & OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

The aim of this advocacy initiative is to :

1. Increase the knowledge, and thereby raise awareness, of copyright issues with regards to institutional repositories and open access publishing and self-archiving.
2. Make stakeholders, especially academics, feel more in control of copyright issues.
3. Improve copyright management and copyright relationships.

Increasing knowledge

Informing stakeholders will make them understand copyright more easily. As a result, they will be able to make informed choices concerning this issue, contribute more fully in the discussion and work on developing and improving copyright practices.

It also aims:

• to promote the holding of elementary rights by academics, by identifying these and providing ways of ensuring these are represented in copyright practices.
• To provide examples of good practice in copyright.

Make academics feel more in control

It has been found that many academics are not interested in copyright issues or think that they are too difficult or time-consuming to deal with. Some academics do not wish to tackle amending copyright transfer agreements (CTAs) or to enter into any negotiations with publishers. Other academics are prepared to do this but may feel powerless when dealing with a large publisher and may have little confidence, or indeed interest, in grappling with copyright on any level.

By concentrating on the rights and requirements of authors regarding the publishing of research material and by considering how these are or might be met it is hoped that academics will feel more in control of copyright issues in general, and in open access provision in particular.

It must be noted that some academics, and indeed HEI management, already have experience in open access publishing and self-archiving, and so are very likely to have a greater knowledge of copyright issues in this area. These individuals can help encourage their peers to become more aware of these issues, by acting as ‘champions’ and leading by example. For more information on this see Identifying 'Champions’.

Improve copyright management and copyright relationships

It is important for all those involved in the scholarly communication process to have an understanding of each other’s rights and requirements, and for these to be made explicit. This will help ensure that research reporting is as effective as possible, with a balanced approach to the management and representation of these rights. Copyright relationships between academics, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and publishers will, as a result, be enhanced. It is to this end that the seven Zwolle Principles were created, and is why they are used as a basis of this project.

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CORE THEMES & MESSAGES

The core themes and messages, in terms of both information and attitude/awareness, were identified for each group. Any relevant 'Partnering on Copyright' projects are put in brackets.

 Themes

• General OA overview, Open Access Publishing, Open Access journals (OAJs)
• Open Access and self-archiving benefits
• Copyright issues with regards to open access publishing/IR’s.
• Information on copyright policies of OAJ’s and the four copyright models identified (Open Access Journals & Copyright).
• The rights and requirements of authors & publishers (Publishing Agreements)
• Self-archiving policies of publishers (Copyright Knowledge Bank). Include the fact that 93% of journals allow self-archiving.
• The © toolkit and how to use it. (Publishing Agreements)
• Compare your copyright transfer agreement to the model agreement
• Make your own copyright transfer agreement > © toolkit.
• Alternative ways of licensing (such as Creative Commons)
• Resources that offer copyright guidance (For example the Copyright Knowledge Bank and Creative Commons.)
• What makes a balanced copyright transfer agreement (Publishing Agreements)
• Zwolle Principles
• The copyright policy of their university/HEI. (University Copyright Policies).
• Easy access to information on copyright: websites, databases, etc. (Advocacy - 'Know Your Rights')

Main Messages

AIM 1. Increase knowledge, and thereby raise awareness, of copyright issues with regards to open access.

Academic authors need to know:

• What OA, Open Access Publishing, and Open Access journals are.
• About OA and self-archiving benefits.
• Up-to-date information on the Open Access initiative.
• Examples of IRs, OA/self-archiving policies and the fact that the number of digital archives is increasing.
• What the copyright issues are with regards to open access publishing/institutional repositories.
• About copyright policies of Open Access journals and the four identified copyright models (Open Access Journals & Copyright).

HEI senior management need to know:

• What OA, Open Access Publishing, and Open Access journals are.
• About OA and self-archiving benefits, especially impact-factors, citation counts and the resulting increase in visibility and prestige of the whole institution.
• Up-to-date information on the Open Access initiative.
• Information on the costs of establishing and maintaining IR’s.
• Examples of IRs, OA/self-archiving policies and the fact that the number of digital archives is increasing.
• Details about the Berlin Declaration.
• About the possibility of mandating the deposition of research in a IR.

IR administrators/library staff need to know:

• See ‘academic authors’ and ‘HEI senior management’ above.
• How to communicate the benefits of IRs and about copyright issues.
• Where to find good copyright resources (such as the FAQ-site of SURF); and
• Details on the Copyright Knowledge Bank.
• The necessary formal procedures and documents which must be in place or at least recognised as being needed in future. Examples include submission procedures, and deposit licences.

AIM 2. Make authors feel more in control of copyright issues

Authors should know how to gain control. Therefore, they need to know:

• What the rights and requirements of authors and publishers are. (Pubishing Agreements)
• About the self-archiving policies of publishers (Copyright Knowledge Bank)
• About the © toolkit and how to use it (Publishing Agreements)
• Compare your copyright transfer agreement to the model agreement
• Make your own copyright transfer agreement > © toolkit
• alternative ways of licensing (such as Creative Commons)
• where to find resources that offer copyright guidance (for example, Copyright Knowledge Bank, Advocacy 'Know Your Rights', Creative commons, etc.)
• Authors are encouraged to negotiate with the publisher.

AIM 3. Improve copyright management and copyright relationships

Authors need to know:

• What makes a balanced copyright transfer agreement (Publishing Agreements)
• How to use the © toolkit to make a balanced copyright transfer agreement (Publishing Agreements)
• What the copyright policy of their HEI is (University Copyright Policies)

HEI senior management need to know:

• About the Zwolle Principles
• What the copyright needs are of academic authors and publishers. (Publishing Agreements)
• The four model publishing agreements. (Publishing Agreements)
• How to (re)phrase copyright policies. (University Copyright Policies)
• About the author/HEI licence needed for materials to be deposited in an IR. (University Copyright Policies).

IR administrators/library staff need to know:

• See ‘academics’ and ‘HEI senior management’ above.
• How to plan, create and manage an advocacy campaign. IR administrators cannot be exactly sure how much interest an advocacy initiative will stimulate, so expectations must be managed. A communication plan for any such campaign is essential. (Advocacy - 'Know Your Rights')
• How to approach publishers for information and permission to self-archive. (Advocacy - 'Know Your Rights')

Publishers need to know:

• About the Zwolle Principles.
• The rights that are important to publishers and authors. (Publishing agreements).
• What makes a balanced publishing agreement, including identification of ‘terms and clauses’, provisions, good practices, etc. (Publishing Agreements)
• Details of other publisher's self-archiving policies and the benefits for publishers of letting academics know about their self-archiving policies. (Copyright Knowledge Bank)
• Understanding of copyright issues with regards to Open Access journals, including the identification of good practices and related model agreements. (Open Access Journals & Copyright)

It should be noted that copyright should be at the fore, as this is the issue which is being particularly addressed by the project, and also as there are constraints on time and resources. However, it is still worth covering the other issues, though in less detail, as these act as the ‘backdrop’ to copyright issues. General open access and self-archiving issues need to be examined so that copyright issues are clearer to understand. This will allow for informed debate which will, in turn, help encourage the adoption of open access practices through working together to meet each other's information needs.

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COMMUNICATION/ADVOCACY STRATEGIES

The core messages of the 'Partnering on Copyright' programme are to be communicated using a combination of advocacy strategies. These are:

• 'Top-down' (targeting senior management) AND 'bottom-up' (targeting academics) approaches to advocacy

This approach is felt to be most effective as each group can have a positive influence on the other. It also encourages cooperation in order to achieve open access.

• Blanket AND targeted advocacy

General Open Access and self-archiving issues are to be communicated to ALL stakeholder groups. However, to be most effective a targeted approach must also be taken, as some issues are of more importance to some groups than others. This may also apply to within individual stakeholder groups, especially academics, as there are differences in experiences and opinions.

• The use of 'champions'

Individuals in all stakeholder groups may have a particular interest in OA and self-archiving issues, and/or experience in self-archiving. These individuals are to be identified and act as 'advocates' both within their stakeholder groups and beyond. (See Identifying ‘Champions’.)

If possible, a small steering group will be formed made up of 'champions' from various sections of the HEI community, including academics, library staff, and members of the Research Office and Marketing and PR group. The steering group will be able to organise actions focused on particular target groups and fine tune the messages for each group.

For more detailed discussion of approaches to advocacy click here.

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COMMUNICATION METHODS & MATERIALS

As the main aims of the ‘Partnering on Copyright’ programme are to increase knowledge and raise awareness of copyright issues the advocacy strategy will involve both written and oral means of communication, which could include:.

• PowerPoint presentations;
• Leaflets;
• Briefing papers for senior management - one example is provided by SHERPA, 'The Move Towards Open Access of Research Output: Briefing Paper' (March 2004);
• Posters;
• Newsletter articles;
• Advocacy events – departmental and institution-wide; and
• Demonstrations of the IR or subject-based repository.

As part of this particular Advocacy 'Know Your Rights' campaign the following activities and materials will be used to target the two main stakeholder groups of academic authors and HEI management.

1. Academic Author Activities & Materials

• PowerPoint presentation;
• Leaflet/flyer;
• Advocacy events;
• Newsletter articles.

2. HEI Management Activities and Materials

• PowerPoint presentation;
• Leaflet/flyer
• Advocacy events;
• Newsletter articles.

More detailed information on these communication methods and materials can be found here.

Who Are The 'Senders' of The Messages?

A number of 'senders' will be used in this advocacy initiative, reflecting both the top-down and bottom-up approach. In all cases, it is important that the receiver of the message trusts the sender of the message!

• Steering group
• IR administrators/library staff
• champions, including academics and HEI management.

EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT

Two pilots will be carried out in HEIs in order to test the effectiveness of the ‘Know Your Rights’ advocacy campaign, both in terms of the advocacy strategies adopted and advocacy materials used. One pilot will take place in the Netherlands and one in the UK.

The time scale of the pilot projects has been devised with the availability of resources, as well as aims and objectives of the project, in mind. For more information on project planning and time scales see the examples of a time plan and action plan for this project.

In these pilots, the concept of ‘champions’ and the use of the advocacy toolkit will be tested. The results of the pilots will be used to enhance the toolkit, with examples of communication strategies and good practices to be added. The results and any resulting recommendations will also be made available through a report.

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