LPC Blog

The Library Publishing Coalition Blog is used to share news and updates about the LPC and the Library Publishing Forum, to draw attention to items of interest to the community, and to publish informal commentaries by LPC members and friends.

September 4, 2019

Cheryl Ball appointed as Library Publishing Curriculum Editor-in-Chief

By Melanie Schlosser

The Library Publishing Coalition is pleased to announce the appointment of Cheryl E. Ball to a three-year term as Editor-in-Chief of the Library Publishing Curriculum. Created in partnership with the Educopia Institute as part of a project funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the curriculum is moving to its permanent home as an ongoing program of the LPC. Cheryl will provide leadership related to the curriculum for the LPC, its Board of Directors, and, eventually, for the Library Publishing Curriculum Editorial Board (to be formed in 2020). To learn more about the role of the Editor-in-Chief, see the call for nominations.

Headshot of Dr. Cheryl E. Ball Cheryl is Director of the Digital Publishing Collaborative at Wayne State University Libraries, where she is building a digital publishing pedagogy based on open-access and multimedia-driven work. She is the Project Director for Vega, an open-source academic publishing platform, and serves as the executive director of the Council of Editors of Learned Journals. Since 2006, Ball has been lead editor of the peer-reviewed, open-access journal Kairos: Rhetoric, Technology, and Pedagogy, which exclusively publishes scholarly multimedia, from which she founded KairosCamp, a series of institutes to teach scholars, editors, and publishers how to produce and publish digital (humanities) projects. She serves on several editorial boards and projects focused on scholarly multimedia and digitally driven publications. Her research in editorial workflows, digital publishing infrastructures, and publishing pedagogy can be found in multiple journals and edited collections, as well as on her personal repository, http://ceball.com.

A statement from Cheryl:

“I am really excited to be formally working with the Library Publishing Coalition as Editor-in-Chief of the publishing curriculum! The work of this position fits perfectly into the pedagogical strategies of the digital publishing team at Wayne State University Libraries, and as a founding member of the LPC, we are thrilled to be part of this project. I look forward to building an editorial board and ensuring the sustainability and usefulness of the curriculum.”

A statement from LPC Community Facilitator Melanie Schlosser:

“I am delighted that the Library Publishing Coalition is taking on the stewardship of this crucial resource for the field of library publishing, and I am excited to partner with Cheryl as we make the curriculum an ongoing program of LPC. Her track record of scholarship, editing, and innovation speaks for itself, and I have no doubt that her experience and energy will be a tremendous asset for the curriculum and for the community of library publishers.”

August 26, 2019

LPC welcomes two new members!

By Nancy Adams

We are delighted to announce two new members to the Library Publishing Coalition this summer: Université du Québec à Montréal and Caltech. Welcome colleagues!

August 19, 2019

Call for proposals to host the 2021 Library Publishing Forum

By Melanie Schlosser

The Library Publishing Coalition is seeking a host for its annual Library Publishing Forum in the spring of 2021. The Forum typically welcomes around 200 guests for 3 days of conference and pre/post conference activities. The LPC aims to hold the Forum in a variety of attractive locations throughout North America that provide convenient access for attendees through geographic proximity or easily accessible transportation. The LPC seeks a member institution willing to act as a partner in providing access to library-owned spaces, or co-signing contracts for spaces at reduced costs.

Host responsibilities

The Forum is financed through conference registration fees and sponsor support, and the Educopia Institute will handle all conference planning and logistics. The host institution is not required to provide additional financial support. However, local organizers should provide referrals to appropriate venues for the main conference activities, pre- and post- events, and hotel stays. The host institution should also plan to have a staff member serve as the Host Liaison on the Program Committee. The Host Liaison has a one-year, non-voting role, and is invited to attend committee meetings, but is not obligated to undertake more general committee work. In addition, we welcome support from local hosts in planning a reception and coordinating appropriate social events.

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August 9, 2019

Open Textbook: Path to Scholarly Communication: Reflections of a Forum Attendee

By Celia Regina de Oliveira Rosa

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by the recipient of a 2019 Library Publishing Forum Award.

On the occasion of the 2019 Library Publishing Forum, held 8–10 May in Vancouver, British Columbia, it was possible to explore the route outlined by numerous initiatives in open publishing in the academic environment and to be nourished by activities that strengthen its background.

Recognized among universities in North America, Canada, and beyond, the 2019 Forum, sponsored by the Library Publishing Coalition in collaboration with Simon Fraser University and Harbour Centre, welcomed librarians, academics, university publishers, and platform vendors interested in immersing themselves in library publishing services.

The pre-conference on May 8 focused on Open Educational Resources. The morning workshop, offered in collaboration with the Open Textbook Network, provided an opportunity for discussion and hands-on work, highlighting project management strategies in support of open textbook publishing. Time savings in the planning stages (Plan – Do – Check – Act) are outlined through the information exchange established between author and publishing specialists related to research, resource creation, writing of the book outlined, supplemental resources, chapter planning, peer review, review related to style / format, copy editing, proofreading, preparation for publication up to launching—these are only some of the subjects offered in the BC Open Textbook Self-Publishing Guide.

In the afternoon’s full sessions, planned in collaboration with BCcampus, presenters engaged attendees with topics such as the academic publication reshaped by library publishing and set out on a small scale, requirements for sustainable software, alliances (or not) with different models of the university press, surveys about undergraduate use and acceptance of digital didactic resources, in addition to efforts to prepare librarians to work/advocate in these scenarios.

For academic book production, a collaborative approach between author, librarian, and publishing team facilitates the clarification of doubts during the project design; a timely process can avoid the familiar miscommunications responsible for innumerable disagreements and problems such as content produced without planning; numerous “come and go” for style redesign and publishing requirements; ignorance of the author’s objectives for the publication; author’s unfamiliarity of the license to be adopted; remaining doubts about open access; uncertainties regarding DOI being the best alternative to use, definition of the most appropriate platform for hosting content.

At event closing it was evident that many discussions of the nuances of scholarly communication had originated among the disparate groups of attendees, seeking understanding of their differences in pursuit of quality-targeted solutions that reach significantly more individuals.

Daily, I have been encouraging future monograph authors and helping them prepare their manuscripts using the perspective of library as publisher; however, this activity is still unknown to many at the university. For open publishing opportunities to become a real knowledge network, a single publishing structure designed at an administrative level by the library system is necessary.

The Library Publishing Forum’s professional work provides countless perspectives for reflecting on ways to provide better library performance through concrete experiences. It has a special position in my agenda!

Célia Regina de Oliveira Rosa is Librarian at the Geosciences Institute of the Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil, www.usp.br/. She holds a Masters in Information Science with a concentration in book library publishing.

August 9, 2019

LPC welcomes a new member: Cornell University

By Nancy Adams

The Library Publishing Coalition is delighted to welcome Cornell University as a new member!

About Cornell University Library:

One of the leading academic research libraries in the United States, Cornell University Library promotes a culture of broad inquiry with its world-class holdings, expert staff, and cutting-edge services. Comprehensive electronic and print resources, including rare and unique manuscripts, support the full range of scholarly endeavor. Connections with partner institutions widen access to specialized material, facilitate international research and learning opportunities, and fuel the pace of innovation. The Library’s commitment to the production, dissemination, and preservation of knowledge drives it to the forefront of digital scholarship and open-access advocacy. Librarians’ expertise in innovative tools and technology equips students to succeed in a digital society, and enhances all facets of teaching and learning at Cornell.

August 5, 2019

Call for applications: LPC Fellowship Program

By Melanie Schlosser

** Update: We will be hosting two online information sessions about the Fellowship Program, on August 20th and September 3rd. See details and connection information.**

**Update: The first information session was recorded: view here.**

We’re excited to announce a call for applications for the second round of the LPC Fellowship Program. The fellowship program is intended to encourage participation in the LPC community by important voices who are not a member institution, to broaden access to library publishing to underrepresented groups, and to mentor new library publishers. Fellowships span 2 years, beginning on October, 2019 and ending on September 30, 2021. Up to two fellows will be selected. Applications are due September 6, 2019.

LPC Fellows receive numerous benefits, including access to LPC member resources, travel support to attend the Library Publishing Forum each year of the fellowship, and quarterly mentorship meetings with LPC staff and leadership.

Fellows are expected to undertake a service commitment within the LPC, write 2–3 blog posts per year for the LPC blog (previous posts can be found in the Fellows Journal category on the blog), and present at the 2020 and 2021 Library Publishing Forums. The LPC Fellowship Program is flexible and can be customized to a Fellow’s interests, with the opportunity to engage in research, work with the Library Publishing Curriculum, or propose another project that would enhance library publishing.

For more details about the fellowship, visit the program webpage or email contact@librarypublishing.org.

Application Details

Candidates should be:

Currently employed in a library that is not a member of the Library Publishing Coalition
New to library publishing (applicants need not be early career librarians but should have become engaged in library publishing within the last 3 years)
Able to attend the Library Publishing Forum at least once during the fellowship (travel support is provided – see the full program description for details)
Able to dedicate 1–2 hours per week to the fellowship throughout the 2 years

Fellows will be selected by the Board based on the following criteria:

Strong candidates will have professional responsibilities related to library publishing in their current position, which could include running a publishing program or developing a new program.
Strong candidates will have a demonstrated commitment to professional development in library publishing or scholarly communication. Candidates who are interested in sharing the knowledge and experience they gain during their fellowship with other professional communities will be prioritized.
Strong candidates will bring new perspectives to the LPC community. Candidates from underrepresented groups or regions that do not yet have professional communities related to library publishing will be especially competitive.
Fellows will be expected to communicate with the LPC community through writing and presenting. Strong communication skills are required.

Applications are due September 6, 2019, and all applicants will be notified by September 30th. Applications will include:

An application form (demographic info, etc.)
A C.V.
A writing sample
A letter of support from library dean or supervisor (as appropriate)

Learn more and apply at: https://librarypublishing.org/get-involved/lpc-fellowship-program/

Contribute an entry to the Library Publishing Directory

August 2, 2019

Call for entries: 2020 Library Publishing Directory

By Nancy Adams

Does your library publish journals, monographs, conference proceedings, or technical reports? Do you provide hosting and support services for digital humanities projects, data, or ETDs? Help us to document the range of activities that libraries are undertaking in “publishing” (broadly defined) through their work in scholarly communications, digital humanities, digital sciences, and institutional repositories.

To promote collaboration and knowledge-sharing, and to raise the visibility of the unique contributions of libraries as publishers, the Library Publishing Coalition (LPC) is compiling the seventh edition of our Library Publishing Directory.

To have a profile of your library included in the Directory, please complete our questionnaire by August 23, 2019.

The questionnaire takes between 30 and 45 minutes to complete. You can save your progress and return later, but we recommend previewing the questions before you begin. If your library has had an entry in a previous edition of the Directory, you should soon receive an email with instructions on how to update it. Email contact@librarypublishing.org with questions.

About the Directory

The Library Publishing Directory is an important tool for libraries wishing to learn about this emerging field, connect with their peers, and align their practices with those of the broader community. Last year’s edition featured 135 libraries in half a dozen nations. The Directory is published openly on the web and includes contact information, descriptions, and other key facts about each library’s publishing services. Previous editions (in PDF, EPUB, and database versions) can be found on the LPC website.

The Directory is produced in collaboration with Purdue University Libraries and Bookmasters.

Submit your entry

August 2, 2019

LPC welcomes a new member: University of Houston

By Nancy Adams

The Library Publishing Coalition is delighted to welcome the University of Houston as a new member!

A statement from University of Houston Libraries:

University of Houston Libraries advances student success, knowledge creation and preservation, and globally competitive research. In support of this mission, University Libraries offers institutional and data repository services, and is currently in its second year of developing an Alternative Textbook Incentive Program as well as the Digital Research Commons, a lab that builds communities of digital scholarship practitioners and sponsors digitally based research projects. We are pleased to be a part of the Library Publishing Coalition, and look forward to learning from and sharing with the community!

July 31, 2019

Teaching from the Library Publishing Curriculum

By Charlotte Roh

The Fellows Journal is a forum for the current Library Publishing Coalition fellows to share their experiences and raise topics for discussion within the community. Learn more about the Fellowship Program.

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Quite early in my career, as an editorial assistant in my first real publishing job, I was sent to a semester-long copyediting course, where I learned about the different levels of copyediting, the importance of style guides, and how to mark up manuscript in hard copy.

Copy editing marks from Einsohn’s The Copyeditor’s Handbook

The rest of publishing, I was expected to learn on the job. I learned this at a professional development event, where editorial assistants complained that, with the changes brought about by technology, we were being delegated to administrative assistant roles without growth potential because we were no longer performing tasks that gave us insight into the process (like taking down dictation for their editors, typing up letters, or transferring editorial marks from one hard copy to another). We want to be copied on emails! was the rallying cry.

That publishing is still very much an apprenticeship field has not changed, as Cheryl Ball so eloquently argued in her email to the LPC list-serv on the value of experience, and how volunteering can be a stepping stone to one’s career. [1] However, this isn’t necessarily clear to people managing volunteers or early career professionals, who might not be aware of their roles as mentors and mentees. There are also those in the library publishing community who are brand new to publishing or aspects of publishing. I include myself in this group – while I worked on monographs, casebooks, workbooks, and textbook programs in my previous career, I had never been responsible for a journal until I entered librarianship. As a scholarly communication resident at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, I suddenly found myself responsible for a journals list. (Thank you Marilyn for trusting me!)

This is why I was glad to be given the opportunity to engage with the new Library Publishing Curriculum, as an instructor for the Content Module along with Joshua Neds-Fox. We’ve now taught from the curriculum in two formats: as an all-day in-person workshop and as a synchronous online workshop in 1.5 hour weekly increments over 4 weeks.

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July 24, 2019

Social justice driving library publishing

By Reggie Raju

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“It is my assertion that library publishing programmes should be guided by the possibility of realizing the field’s immense potential for growth and development of the African continent. The need for a social justice driven library publishing agenda must be at the epicentre of this development process.”

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It is not the norm to begin with a disclaimer, however, in this instance it is necessary given that the larger readership of this blog is from the global north. This blog is written through a global south lens; a lens that has a deep affiliation to the fundamental principles of open access and that the sharing of research results is essential for the furtherance of research and the growth and development of society.

I was fortunate enough, as a fellow of the LPC, to attend the 2018 forum meeting. What I was longing to hear at the meeting, and maybe naively so, was discussion on the exploitation of this relatively new library service to radically improve the distribution of research results for the growth and development of society. It was clearly evident that we have two different parallels, though not mutually exclusive. One which is driven by the desire to improve visibility of authors and their work and the other which is driven by the desire to improve accessibility through openly sharing for the growth and development of society. In the former, the measurement of success is citation count while the latter is socio-economic impact. Citation count for research has a relatively high degree of maturity while the latter is barely at a fledgling stage.

The lens from which I view the roles and responsibilities of libraries in the delivery of a publishing service is driven by the single ambition: to share desperately needed scholarly literature freely with all, especially with those from the global south who are deprived of critical information, be it for research or growth and development purposes, due to exorbitant subscription costs. This financial barrier together with the high cost of internet access (one of the highest in the world) are major challenges for Africans. Other challenges such as frequent power outages and poor IT infrastructure are part of a myriad of challenges that make access near impossible – these challenges perpetuate poverty and doom and gloom for a continent that is so rich in natural resources–including an abundance of human resources. It is my assertion that library publishing programmes should be guided by the possibility of realizing the field’s immense potential for growth and development of the African continent. The need for a social justice driven library publishing agenda must be at the epicentre of this development process. Hence, my focus in this blog post is on diamond open access library publishing, that is, where there is no cost to the reader nor the author. The publishing service is part of the suite of services provided by the library.

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