Re: Some initial thoughts on the Brussels Declaration on STM publishing

From: Heather Morrison <heatherm_at_ELN.BC.CA>
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 16:20:55 -0800

On 20-Feb-07, at 5:41 AM, Peter Banks wrote:

> Yes, a few scientists can get together and create a journal using
> open
> source software.
>
> What they might find a bit harder, say, is managing a portfolio of
> 1000+
> journals. (The combined Blackwell-Wiley will have about 1250
> journals). That
> takes an investment that a handful of researchers in their spare
> time might
> find a little daunting. At this level, you need a hosting platform, a
> manuscript management platform, hoards of editors and translators,
> etc., and
> the capital and management to support it all.
>

Open Journal Systems is a hosting platform / manuscript management
system. It is free and open source. Since its release in 2003, OJS
is now in use by over 800 journals, around the world. No one journal
needs much in the way of start-up capital.

It is not just that a few scientists can get together and create a
journal, but rather that any research community now has the means to
easily create their own journals, and do not need to rely on
publishers. Not that the services of publishers are not of value.
There is room for quality services, at reasonable prices.

Quality services includes maximum dissemination of research. That
means open access, whether through self-archiving or OA publishing.

Heather Morrison
Received on Wed Feb 21 2007 - 01:15:29 GMT