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.

December 14, 2022

LPC Peer Mentorship Program Update and 2023 Signups

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The 2022 cycle of the LPC Peer Mentorship Program is wrapping up, and the Professional Development Committee is preparing for the 2023 cycle. Details of the program and how to participate follow. 

Looking Back: The 2022 Cohort

The LPC Peer Mentorship Program was launched in 2019. In the following year, the program began to focus on peer-mentor relationships, which continued into the 2021 iteration. In 2021 and 2022, a series of discussion prompts were sent to pairs monthly. These prompts are optional, and touch on topics such as dealing with burnout, strategies to conduct outreach for one’s library publishing program, and challenges of academic scholarship and how to overcome them.

The 2022 goals of the Peer Mentorship Program were:  

  •  Primary: To enrich participants’ experiences with the LPC and build meaningful relationships between peers.
  •  Secondary: To further the development of library publishing through a professional, semi-structured mentorship program.

In early 2022, participants were matched, and then coordinated meeting times according to their schedules. Pairs engaged in monthly calls and email exchanges. The committee provided monthly discussion prompts to guide possible discussion between pairs, though pairs were free to let their conversation take whatever direction appealed to them. Midway through the program year, mentors received a survey to assess the program and to provide feedback, which the committee uses to refine and improve the program. We received five responses, and some valuable insights into how the program was working for participants. Most respondents felt supported and enjoyed their time together .  

Interested in being a peer mentor and sharing your expertise? The LPC Professional Development Committee will offer the peer mentorship program again in 2023. Applications are now available! We hope you’ll join us as part of the 2023 LPC Peer Mentorship Program!

The 2023 Cohort: Timeline and Invitation to Apply

  • Apply for the 2023 Peer Mentorship Program now! We’ll be accepting applications through January 9, 2023.
  • You’ll be matched with your Peer Mentor by early February.
  • Participants will receive instructions and orientation materials in February.
  • Optional meet-up at the Library Publishing Forum (May 8-11, 2023).
    (The LPC Professional Development Committee will host a meet-up for participants. Stay tuned for more information!) 

Other activities for program participants include:

  • Special mentorship calls hosted by the Professional Development Committee (topics and schedule TBD)
  • Mid-year (6-months) survey
  • Post-cycle (12-months) cohort evaluation with exit survey

Apply for the 2023 Peer Mentorship Program, or contact the Professional Development Committee with any questions.

LPC Professional Development Committee

2020-2023 Erin Jerome, University of Massachusetts (2022-2023 co-chair)
2020-2023     Liz Hamilton, Northwestern University (2022-2023 co-chair)
2021-2023     Matthew Hunter, Florida State University
2022-2024     Emily Stenberg, Washington University in St. Louis
2022-2024    Matthew Vaughn, Indiana University Bloomington
2020-2023     Mary Beth Weber, Rutgers University

December 6, 2022

LPC Quarterly Update

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The latest Quarterly Update has been published! It’s chock full of information, including

Community News

  • LPC’s new community planning efforts
  • Awards open for submissions: Outstanding Scholarship in Library Publishing AND Publishing Practice
  • 2021-2022 Annual Report
  • and more!

Library Publishing Forum: CFP now open!

Research: Workflows Project wraps up

Read the Quarterly Update

November 14, 2022

2023 Library Publishing Forum Call For Proposals

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The Library Publishing Forum is an annual conference bringing together representatives from libraries engaged in or considering publishing initiatives to define and address major questions and challenges; to identify and document collaborative opportunities; and to strengthen and promote this community of practice. The Forum is sponsored by the Library Publishing Coalition, but you do not need to be a member of the LPC to attend. 

The Library Publishing Coalition (LPC) is now accepting proposals for the 2023 Library Publishing Forum! We are thrilled to offer a virtual forum during the week of May 8 to May 11.  Proposals may address any topic of interest to the library publishing community. The proposal deadline is December 16, 2022.

Proposal submissions are welcome from LPC members and nonmembers, including library employees, university press employees, scholars, students, and other scholarly communication and publishing professionals. Again, we welcome proposals from first-time presenters and representatives of small and emerging publishing programs.

We are committed to expanding the diversity of perspectives we hear from at the Library Publishing Forum. Working towards some of the “Continuing Initiatives” from the LPC Roadmap for Anti-Racist Practice, we ask all proposals to explicitly address how they are inclusive of multiple perspectives, address DEI, or incorporate anti-racist and anti-oppressive approaches. Presentations about specific communities should include members of that community in their speaker list, and for sessions with multiple speakers, we seek to avoid all-white and all-male panels. Everyone submitting a presentation will also have an opportunity to complete a brief, anonymous demographic survey so we can better understand who is submitting proposals to LPF.

Learn more and submit a proposal.

LPC Program Committee

  • Jason Boczar, University of South Florida (2022-2023 chair)
  • Elizabeth Bedford, University of Washington
  • Emily Carlisle-Johnston, University of Western Ontario
  • Jennifer Coronado, Butler University (PALNI)
  • Anna Liss Jacobsen, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
  • Lucinda Johnston, University of Alberta
  • Melanie Schlosser, Library Publishing Coalition

November 2, 2022

Nominations being accepted for the 2023 Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Library Publishing

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As participation in library publishing grows, the development of a strong evidence base to inform best practices and demonstrate impact is essential. To encourage research, theory, and innovative practice in library publishing (for a definition of “library publishing”, see the LPC website home page), the Library Publishing Coalition is pleased to support the Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Library Publishing, which recognizes the best publication from the preceding calendar year. The LPC Research Committee will evaluate submissions and select a recipient for the award. 

Winners will be officially announced in the spring and be recognized at the annual Library Publishing Forum. The award recipient(s) will receive a cash award of $250 and complimentary registration to the 2023 Library Publishing Forum. The awardee(s) will also have an opportunity to share their work with the community via a post to the LPC blog. 

Nominations may be made either by the author(s) or by any employee of a LPC member institution. Nominated author(s) do not need to be affiliated with a LPC member institution. The deadline for nominations is January 16, 2023.

Learn more and nominate

November 2, 2022

Apply for a 2023 Publishing Practice Award

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The Library Publishing Coalition is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the third annual Publishing Practice Awards. These awards are designed to recognize and raise awareness of effective and sustainable library publishing practices.

The Publishing Practice Awards will highlight library publishing programs that implement concepts advanced in the LPC’s An Ethical Framework for Library Publishing and/or in the LPC’s Values statement. While a representative publication must be submitted, the focus of these awards is not on publication content but on the process of publishing the piece. This year, award categories are:

  • Accessibility
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Privacy
  • Innovation

An award will be available in each category, though all categories may not be awarded each year. Each publisher may submit only one application per year, in a single category. Publishers applying for an award do not need to be affiliated with an LPC member institution. 

Award recipients will be publicly recognized by the Library Publishing Coalition and will receive a digital seal that they may place on their website and on the representative publication. Awardees will also share their publication process with the wider library publishing community through a post on the LPC blog, adapted from the essay accompanying their application.

The deadline for application is January 16, 2023.

Learn more and apply

Water with the word reflections in all caps with a horizontal line above and below
November 1, 2022

What LPC accomplished under our first strategic plan

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LPC’s current 5-year strategic plan (PDF) is winding down. Published in summer 2018, it was our young community’s first concrete statement of our strategic goals. From LPC’s seed-funded project period (2013-14) through our first two years as a full-fledged membership association (2015-2017), we relied for guidance on our original scoping materials and focused much of our energy on getting the community’s infrastructure and ongoing programs on solid footing. By 2017, it had become apparent that we were ready to think more strategically about the future and put in the work to make sure we were pulling in the same directions across the community. The strategic planning process we undertook was a traditional one, involving a SWOT Analysis, an environmental scan, and community consultation. The outcome was a traditional 5-year strategic plan consisting of three goals, with nested objectives and action items. 

As we head into a new planning process, I wanted to reflect on what we accomplished under our current plan from my perspective as the LPC Community Facilitator. This isn’t meant to be a comprehensive listing of accomplishments. Instead, this post will share a high-level view from the staff perspective of how LPC has evolved in each of our strategic areas, where we’ve made significant progress, and where I see untapped potential.

(more…)

November 1, 2022

Library Publishing Coalition Releases 2021-2022 Annual Report

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The Library Publishing Coalition is pleased to announce the release of its 2021-2022 Annual Report.

In addition to outlining the LPC’s finances, assets, and membership, the Annual Report highlights several programmatic milestones, including: 

  • Deliverables from the Library Publishing Workflows project
  • A landscape scan undertaken by the Preservation Task Force
  • The launch of a joint project between LPC, ARL, and AUP to build connections between university-based publishing communities.

These initiatives, and LPC’s continued sustainability, are the result of the work undertaken by LPC members, staff, our partners, and affiliate organizations. All of the people involved in this work offered their time, energy, and expertise to fulfill our vision of a scholarly publishing landscape that is open, inclusive, and sustainable. We’re delighted for the opportunity to celebrate their shared success. 

 

October 6, 2022

Announcing the Canadian Community Development Working Group!

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The Library Publishing Coalition is pleased to announce the formation of a Canadian Community Development Working Group. Initiated by Canadian LPC members, this 6-month working group will engage Canadian scholarly communications stakeholders to explore  strategies for developing a stronger Canadian library publisher community. This new group provides an opportunity for Canadian library publishers to grow and develop according to their unique national context. 

The LPC provides support for the working group to build upon existing Canadian community engagement efforts and to consult broadly with practitioners and organizations across Canada.  The group’s priority is to develop recommendations for supporting and strengthening the community of Canadian library publishers, both from within and outside the LPC. 

Members include:

  • Sonya Betz, University of Alberta (Chair)
  • Emily Carlisle-Johnston, Western University
  • Jessica Lange, McGill University
  • Michael Nason, University of New Brunswick
  • Tanja Niemann, Érudit
  • Kate Shuttleworth, Simon Fraser University
  • Kevin Stranack, PKP

Stay tuned for more information as the work of this group progresses. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to contact@librarypublishing.org.

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version française

Annonce du groupe de travail sur le développement de la communauté canadienne !

La Library Publishing Coalition a le plaisir d’annoncer la création d’un groupe de travail sur le développement de la communauté canadienne. Mis sur pied par des membres canadiens de la LPC, ce groupe de travail d’une durée de six mois incitera les intervenants canadiens du secteur des communications savantes à explorer des stratégies visant à renforcer la communauté canadienne des bibliothèques qui offrent des services d’édition. Ce nouveau groupe offre aux bibliothèques canadiennes éditrices la possibilité de croître et de se développer dans un contexte national unique.

La LPC offre son soutien au groupe de travail afin qu’il s’appuie sur les efforts d’engagement existants dans la communauté canadienne, et qu’il consulte largement les praticien.ne.s et les organisations à travers le Canada. La priorité du groupe est d’élaborer des recommandations pour soutenir et renforcer la communauté des bibliothèques éditrices canadiennes, tant à l’intérieur qu’à l’extérieur de la LPC. 

Les membres sont les suivants :

  • Sonya Betz, University of Alberta (Présidente)
  • Emily Carlisle-Johnston, Western University
  • Jessica Lange, McGill University
  • Michael Nason, University of New Brunswick
  • Tanja Niemann, Érudit
  • Kate Shuttleworth, Simon Fraser University
  • Kevin Stranack, PKP

Restez à l’affût, puisque de plus amples informations seront transmises au fur et à mesure que le travail de ce groupe progresse. Si vous avez des questions, n’hésitez pas à communiquer avec nous à contact@librarypublishing.org . 

October 5, 2022

A Demographic Assessment of the 2022 Library Publishing Forum

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The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee of the Library Publishing Coalition (LPC) is excited to share with the wider LPC community a summary of responses to our 2022 Library Publishing Forum (LPF) Demographic Survey. This survey was based on the LPC Roadmap for Anti-Racist Practice (bit.ly/2022LPCRoadmap), which charged the DEI Committee to conduct a brief demographic assessment of the 2022 Forum. The survey was distributed to all Forum attendees and presenters to help the LPC create a baseline understanding of who attends the annual LPF. The goal of the survey was to create a demographic assessment of our annual forum to ensure we are building DEI into existing structures, registration forms, and list of speakers.

As a follow up to this work, we share the report-out details of this assessment. Please see the report and contact the DEI committee (inclusion@librarypublishing.org)  with any questions or concerns.

Thank you

DEI Committee

September 13, 2022

LPC welcomes a new member: York University

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Please join us in welcoming York University as a new member of the Library Publishing Coalition. The voting rep for York University is Sarah Coysh.

About York University Libraries:

York University Libraries (YUL) supports York’s diverse community as they engage in purposeful research that advances knowledge and creates positive change. YUL is comprised of libraries located on York’s main campus in Toronto – including Steacie Science and Engineering Library and Bronfman Business Library – as well as branches on our bilingual Glendon campus, La Casita Azul on our eco-campus in Costa Rica, and soon our new Markham Campus.

YUL is recognized for rich historical and community-engaged archives and special collections, progressive services for accessibility, innovative technologies, and robust services in support of research and open scholarship. Through its three primary divisions – Digital Engagement and Strategy, Research and Open Scholarship, and Teaching and Learning – YUL provides campus leadership on open access, open education, open data, and other scholarly communication priorities. YUL is also home to the institutional repository YorkSpace, a platform that enables York community members to organize and preserve their research online and showcases the scholarship of the York community.