Library-based Publishing in North America: Coming of Age New Approaches in Library-based Publishing: COASP 2014, Paris, 17 – 19 September Charles Watkinson AUL, Publishing, University of Michigan Library Director, University of Michigan Press
What is happening currently? Wider context: North America Local context: Michigan, Purdue Why are libraries becoming publishers? To challenge the status quo of scholarly publishing (?) To meet unmet publishing needs To educate the next generation of scholars What’s next? More Open Access monograph publishing Richer monograph functionality More collaborations with university presses
55% of academic libraries in North America developing or implementing a publishing program (79% of ARL). 115 libraries listed in the first Library Publishing Directory, Increasing to in Library Publishing Coalition founded July Ca. 60 members. Wider Context LPC Directory libraries publish: approximately 400 faculty journals; 175 student journals; 1,000 monographs; 10,000 conference presentations; 100,000 ETDs; 100,000 technical/research reports.
Local Context Michigan Publishing: 40 staff; approximately 100 books a year; 35 journals; 10 database products; institutional repository (Deep Blue); Print on Demand titles. Purdue University: 9 staff; approximately 25 books a year; 12 journals; technical reports; conference proceedings; institutional repository (Purdue e-Pubs).
So why are libraries becoming publishers?
To challenge the status quo The Institutional Repository as a “publishing platform” Approximately: 80,000 items % “original” publications. Documents, images, audio and video files. 10 million downloads a year.
To meet unmet publishing needs e.g., niche journals Deeply important to small communities of scholars. Little capacity for author pays models. Require only lightweight workflows.
Conference proceedings, technical reports, white papers represent other opportunities. Niche journals for small academic communities find a sustainable home with library-based publishers.
To educate the next generation Publication of student scholarship as a process not just a product. Scholarly communication outcomes, e.g., author rights. Information literacy outcomes, e.g., ethical citation practices. 58% of Library Publishing Directory libraries publish at least one undergraduate-driven journal.
What’s next?... The future of the Open Access monograph is a big question mark.
More OA monograph publishing Author (institution/funder) pays?, e.g., AAU/ARL Library pays?, e.g., Knowledge Unlatched Freemium. Print sales subsidize Open Access online?, e.g., DCB
Richer monograph functionality e.g., Hypothes.is allows annotation of and community engagement with Digital Culture Books Richly tagged XML for machine readability. Additional tools allow interaction with the content. Support for multimedia and other data types.
Greater collaboration with UPs 2008/ Alberta Amherst Arizona Calgary Cork Georgia Kentucky Marquette Michigan MIT Nebraska New England New York North Texas Northwestern Oregon State Penn State Purdue Stanford Syracuse Temple Texas Christian Utah Utah State West Virginia 27% of North American university presses report to libraries. (There does not need to be a reporting relationship for collaboration to exist.) The types of collaborations are becoming more strategic in nature.
Thank You Charles Watkinson