Faux Access from AAA: Just Crap?

Last week, the American Anthropological Association announced a plan to provide free online access to archives of its journals, American Anthropologist and Anthropology News. Great news, right?

Not really. The content set to open up dates from 1888 to 1973, which leaves the past 35 years of anthropological research behind pay-content walls. Thirty five years constitutes several eras, particularly in the social sciences: thus the research being made available is really only valuable as archival content to those who already know the field.

Scott Jaschik at InsideHigherEd covered the story in a column yesterday. Among those interviewed was the sage and blunt Pat Galloway, an associate professor at the School of Information at UT-Austin. Those who know Galloway, an anthropologist by training who teaches in the archives and preservation fields, know that she rarely minces words; she declared the program “just crap.” “The most exciting work” of the last few decades, she noted, wasn't going to be any more accessible, “and that’s why people are not going to be impressed.” UT's iSchool Dean Andrew Dillon echoed her sentiments on his blog.