Libraries as publishing partners: Promoting best practices in open access journals

Authors

Stapleton, Suzanne Cady

Issue Date

2019

Degree

Publisher

University of Florida

Rights

Items in Esource are protected by copyright. Previously published items are made available in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher/copyright holder.

Abstract

Publishing by academic libraries is emerging as a viable means to create open access to scholarly research. Librarians engaged in publishing services can capitalize on opportunities to educate faculty, staff and students on best publishing practices. While library publishing is readily adopted for institutional serials, the services are equally compelling for at-risk journal publications by external scholarly organizations. University of Florida created a publishing service team to support researchers’ use of Public Knowledge Project’s Open Journals System for digital, open access publishing of institutional and external scholarly work. The team incorporates subject-specialist librarians along with a scholarly communications librarian, the Institutional Repository manager, the digital collections director and service team leader. The service team creates a variety of venues for guiding recommended publishing practices including transparent review policies, diversity of editorial boards, and incorporation of digital object identifiers. This presentation will share successes and lessons learned from our journal publishing service team’s work with nearly 15 journals in the past four years. Journals under contract with the library publish research in STEM, social sciences and humanities fields. Participants will learn how a successful outreach program is creating an interdisciplinary community of editors on campus and how an annual satisfaction survey informs training and development of services. Examples will be shared of customizing services to meet the needs of each co-publisher. Exchanging lessons learned from managing the workflow of journals joining and departing the service may benefit others who are developing library support for journal publishing.