Executive Summary
I. Description & History
II. Major Business Objectives
The Knowledge Conservancy has set itself extremely aggressive business goals. It aims to obtain a public-right-to-access for 10% of all copyright protected text and image published in the United States in the coming decade and will aim to acquire rights to 25% of all copyright protected content by the end of the 21st century. Crucially, it aims to make the donation of free-to-read access a normal element in online publishing practice.The Knowledge Conservancy believes it can achieve these goals because it does not threaten the two most important components of the publishers marketing plans, while addressing the two most important public issues. Publishers depend on value-added packaging and timely content. The public values reliable free access over the long-term. These goals can all be met without impacting the others if the right framework is established.
Publishers package information in a way that will appeal to their readers and be easily accessed by them. Different packages have different functions, but each is tailored to serve a special need. Online publications are even more able to serve information to readers in a value-added way. In most areas of publishing, the value-added packaging and delivery is the product. The Knowledge Conservancy does not compete with publishers because it seeks only to ensure the public-right-to-read as a rudimentary level of online presentation. The slightly inconvenient aspects of such access are a selling point for donating public access to The Knowledge Conservancy, and for promoting (by contrast, but not by THE KNOWLEDGE CONSERVANCY) the value-added features of the publishers product. The Knowledge Conservancy offers publishers a selection of features that will govern free public access - we call the matrix of convenience features a fidelity matrix. Low fidelity delivery makes the content available and free-to-read, but without any value added features.
The Knowledge Conservancy also takes advantage of the fact that publishing is a very time sensitive business - much information is created for hourly, or daily consumption. Still more for weekly or monthly enjoyment. Successful books rarely sell more than 3 years - and when they do are considered "classics". Yet copyright protects works for at least 50 years and often longer. The Knowledge Conservancy does not compete with publishers because it enables them to provide public-right-to-read on a slightly delayed basis, while guaranteeing long-term access that the publisher would be unable to provide. A slight delay in obtaining access to the free online versions is offset as a public value by the long-term access and preservation assured by The Knowledge Conservancy.