Libraries as publishers

I participated in a webinar by BEPress about publishing better journals. Naturally it highlighted the BEPress Digital Commons platform but it seems like the platform makes it pretty easy to publish journals and comes with templates that can be modified if you don't want to use it out of the box. The webinar was really about publishing a journal for minimal cost, and improving submission, timeliness of publication and readership rate. Additional bells and whistles can be added but the bottom line is that one or more people really must be dedicated to tracking what is happening with the journal.

Notes from call with Sue Gardner, University of Nebraska. Hosts a few journals; on BEPress/digital commons; one born digital; Acquired 2 established publications that just use the platform and freshen metadata. Paul Royster is the primary contact and knows about production.

development has been in conference proceedings for campus meetings;

Not difficult--that's why they started. Turnkey operation--library does uploading and metadata. --not many bodies to clear or policies to follow.

Ebooks--about 12 with imprint as ZEA books (library imprint). Not much editorial oversight.

Basically library uploads and stores.

no editing/soliciting.

Productive relationship with University Press--univ. press commercializes scholarship--profit/break even/promotion Synergy could happen--scale is very small for library; just separate operations. Library is not particularly interested in commercial value. Very low overhead for library.

This new journal will prove to be of interest: http://jlsc-pub.org/