DESCRIPTION
Attendees of this talk will gain a nuanced understanding of predatory (questionable) publishing as well as the geopolitics of scholarly communications. Rick Anderson recently published, “Ten years of a ‘quiet culture war’: where does it stand now?” addressing a conflict in the library community: should we emphasize our local users’ needs or, instead, serve to advance global open access to foster greater equity? Anderson’s local-global dialectic is a helpful frame for understanding predatory publishing. Predatory publishing is a local problem that vexes the authors we work with, where we, as librarians, provide important interventions; however, it is equally important to examine the factors that led to the emergence and continued existence of predatory publishing as an international phenomenon. In this presentation, attendees will learn characteristics and behaviors of predatory publishers, including highlights from research, as well as useful and meaningful shortcuts for evaluating journals. There are many solutions to predatory publishing. We will explore global structural, macro systems, for example, reforming scholarly assessment and providing diamond open access. Librarians excel at providing pedagogical solutions, and we will consider various models for educating authors on avoiding predatory journals/selecting publishers with the awareness that quality is on a spectrum and that thinking critically about publishing is a form of information literacy. Although this session will emphasize practical knowledge and skills, attendees will also gain a deeper understanding of a global landscape where many scholars face daunting challenges.
SPEAKER BIO
Monica Berger, Professor, Library, New York City College of Technology, City University of New York, has published extensively on predatory (questionable) publishing. Her monograph
Predatory Publishing and Global Scholarly Communications was published by the Association of Research and College Libraries in 2024. In her publications and presentations, she addresses the marginalization of scholars from the Global South, arguing that quality, diamond open access as well as reform of scholarly assessment are needed to mitigate predatory publishing. Berger believes that librarians play a critical role in user education by teaching authors how to think more critically about their publishing practices and practice due diligence.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Registration Deadline for live event: February 10th, 2026. This webinar will be recorded and made available to registrants after the webinar is completed. The last date to purchase recording: May 10th, 2026. After May 10th, 2026 the recording will be made freely available.
WEBINAR RATES
$15 for NASIG Student Members. Login to NASIG website before registering
$35 for NASIG Members. Login to NASIG website before registering
$35 for NISO or SSP Members with code. Email cec@nasig.org to receive code
$60 for Non-Members
$120 for Group Registration. No size limit. One person registers and shares login details with their group.
