Honestly this sounds like typical ProQuest - digitize holdings from a library, provide the library with copies of the digital files but have an embargo of X number of years before the library can make those files available freely (lucky library if it actually has the infrastructure to publish them on their own). This is only different because it's on a national level. I would blame the BnF for not arguing more strongly for the immediate access to the digital copies as I would assume the other countries in the project did.
This might be a good time to point out a new initiative, Reveal Digital (
revealdigital.com) which is operating under a new model which is accepting subscriptions while the digitization work is happening, just enough to cover costs (which are clearly presented) and the subscription costs depend on how many other institutions subscribe and the size of the institution. Costs are much less than "traditional" [ProQuest etc.] publications. After five years the publication will go into open access. The first collection is modern (alternative press publications from the mid-late 20th c.) but the model is appearling (to me, and to others in the library community who are already signing on) and could be applied to any collection including medieval materials. It's also a direct reaction to the appauling costs and practices of some (not all) existing digital publishers.
I do think it's important to acknowledge that not all libraries have the wherewithal to support the digitization and publication of their own collections, that publishers do have a role to play in making collections available, and that not all publishers are the same.
Dot
On Thursday, February 21, 2013, Bob Peckham wrote:
Any comments on this news from France?
TBob
Robert D. Peckham, Ph.D.
Professor of French
University of Tennessee at Martin
Chair, AATF Commission on Advocacy
Director, Globe-gate Intercultural Web Project
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Dot Porter (MA, MSLS)
Digital Medievalist, Digital Librarian
Email:
dot.porter@gmail.com
Personal blog:
dotporterdigital.org
MESA blog:
http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/projects/mesa/MESA on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MedievalElectronicScholarlyAlliance
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