UBC Library is playing a pivotal role in improving the quality and reach of scholarly publishing, serving as one of six development partners in the Public Knowledge Project, a not-for-profit multi-university initiative that develops (free) open source software and services to make open access a viable option for journals.
Founded in 1998 and currently based out of Simon Fraser University, the Public Knowledge Project is perhaps best known for its Open Journal Systems (OJS) software, currently used to publish over 10,000 open access journals around the world. The free journal management and publishing system assists with every stage of the refereed publishing process, from submissions through to online publication and indexing. The project is supported by a group of librarians, scholars and developers in various capacities at a number of universities worldwide.
“We feel the work PKP does is so important, that it is worth investing both our money and our time,” says Bronwen Sprout, Head, Digital Programs and Services at UBC Library who serves as PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN) Coordinator, providing guidance and leadership relating to PKP’s digital preservation service for OJS journals. The PKP Preservation Network is a critical complement to the OJS software that works with a network of partners to create a “dark archive” of journals distributed across the globe. In order to ensure that journals preserved in the network are available to the reading public long after their original website is gone, a network of eight partners stores identical copies of each issue, mitigating against loss from natural disaster or human activity.
A critical platform in open scholarly communications infrastructure.
In addition to OJS, PKP develops Open Monograph Press, a management system for peer-reviewed scholarly monographs, the Open Conference system, a free online publishing tool that allows researchers to host conference websites, manage submissions and post conference proceedings, and Open Harvester Systems, a free metadata system that allows researchers to create searchable online databases. PKP also supports research that explores broader areas of scholarly communications and training services to help new publishers build their skills and knowledge in the PKP software.
Allan Bell, Associate University Librarian, Digital programs and services at UBC Library, chairs the PKP Advisory Committee, which oversees the project’s finances and strategic directions. “What started out as a small research project at UBC has grown into one of the most important platforms in the international, open scholarly communications infrastructure. As a non-profit, university based academic-led project, PKP needs to demonstrate that it operates efficiently, effectively and responsibly, and the Advisory Committee ensures that happens.”
The Public Knowledge Project was most recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award, part of the Open Publishing Awards at #Force2019.
Learn more about the Public Knowledge Project.
This project is part of UBC Library’s strategic direction to advance research, learning and scholarship.
Learn more about our Strategic Framework.
