1. RSC Electronic Journals Projects and the SPARC Initiative Mike Hannant Publisher, Electronic Journals The Royal Society of Chemistry hannantm@rsc.org

2. PhysChemComm Communications journal publishing innovative research in chemical physics Geochemical Transactions (launch January 2000) Journal published on behalf of ACS Geochemistry Division, covering innovative research in geochemistry Electronic-only journals

3. PhysChemComm and Geochemical Transactions Features l Electronic journals no print l High quality research l Rapid publication l Fully searchable l Enhanced presentation

4. l High quality research l Rapid publication l Fully searchable l Enhanced presentation Features PhysChemComm

5. Innovative use of technology Article E-submission + E-refereeing Reduced ‘Times to publication’ Submission to Publication (1999) 38 days average

6. Innovative use of technology l Enhanced article presentation Movies Interactive spectra Rotatable molecules,etc

7. Movies PhysChemComm, 1999, 10

8. Interactive spectra

9. Rotatable molecules PhysChemComm, 1998, 4

10. Background to RSC Electronic publishing Opportunities l Timeliness of publication l Multimedia additions l Versatility - personalised journals l Favourable production costs without print l Customer perception of publisher

11. l Few communications in Faraday/PCCP even though much effort had gone in to trying to attract comms, cf. ChemComm l Therefore, RSC not getting these papers via traditional methods l These articles mainly going to high priced commercial journals. l PhysChemComm - vehicle for gaining these Background Why PhysChemComm?

12. Why SPARC? - general perspective l catalyst for change focus for change l competitive marketplace l encourage innovative uses of technology to improve scholarly communication The Royal Society of Chemistry

13. Why SPARC? - publisher perspective l Guaranteed support publicity subscriptions l Common goals with learned societies pricing issues access issues/archiving copyright issues The Royal Society of Chemistry

14. Quotes in the press l “Humbug” “Wow, that was fast! Ten days between submission and acceptance is a record for me!” l “unless PhysChemComm delivers a knock-out blow [to its competitors] it just becomes one more journal that I have to put on my list to browse; so long as the Elsevier journal has good papers I will still need to check it” The Royal Society of Chemistry

15. PhysChemComm www.rsc.org/physcc Geochemical Transactions www.rsc.org/geochem

16. The Royal Society of Chemistry PhysChemComm www.rsc.org/physcc

17. Mike Hannant Publisher, Electronic Journals hannantm@rsc.org The Royal Society of Chemistry