A Workshop on Resources and Financial Sustainability
Concept
As founders, editors and managers of the Diamond Open Access journal Journal for Religion, Film and Media (JRFM), we had to learn from scratch how to establish, distribute and coordinate a high-quality open access academic publication. Over time, we developed and implemented a strategy for publishing an academic journal in the Humanities that fits with our needs and our human and financial resources in collaboration with (copy) editors, authors, readers, university libraries, IT departments, and publishing houses. JRFM’s concept for the creation and dissemination of high-quality academic content combines traditional publishing tasks in the Humanities such as rigorous and double-blind peer review and thorough copy editing with personal communication that helps to build a functioning network. And indeed, the journal has developed into a digital exchange platform involving a worldwide academic community.
We are now looking back on a decade of complex and intense work, fascinating publications, established practices and yet many unsolved questions. Until now, JRFM has regularly published issues each dedicated to specific media or themes and their respective connections to religious traditions, communities or phenomena from the past and present, examining them from different, interdisciplinary perspectives and using specific methods.
The journal publishes articles free of charge for both readers and authors thanks to the commitment of universities and further public institutions. Funded by a grant by the DFG Programme Scientific Library Services and Information Systems, we have been able to further improve the journal infrastructure over the last two years. However, the question of long-term resources for producing a Diamond Open Access Journal in the Humanities remains unsolved not only for JRFM, but also for most similar projects.
This workshop will provide an opportunity to discuss and assess practices and strategies in publishing Open Access journals in the Humanities, and to think together about possible solutions for their long-term viability.
In the case of Diamond Open Access Journals, the peer review processes are carried out on a voluntary basis by scientists who work on editorial boards or are committed to supporting such a project. The management of the review and the production processes – including programming, the provision of accurate files, the addition of correct meta data and markers for indexes, as well as complex strategies for the global dissemination of the published content – depends on the expertise of specialised professionals who are remunerated for their work.
While short-term funding is potentially more readily available, questions regarding the establishment of a high-quality journal in the medium to long term remain unresolved. A sustainable planning is, however, relevant for all actors involved:
- Authors, especially those at the beginning of their scientific careers, need to publish the results of their research in renowned journals with a long-term profile and an excellent reputation within the relevant academic community.
- Scholars who invest time and energy as editors of a Diamond Open Access Journal need a reliable schedule to develop a strong profile and promote research and networks that support the publication project.
- University services and institutions that invest personnel and financial resources in Open Access services aim to provide sustainable publication platforms that are well known and well accepted and are indexed according to high standards.
- Publishing houses that offer Open Access publications as an additional service must cover the costs of maintaining platforms and providing other services.
- All institutions that fund Open Access aim at promoting high quality research and enhancing (inter)national collaboration, which is essential for the democratisation of knowledge and the reinforcement of scientific results in times of fake news.
Central questions will be: How can we ensure open access to high-quality, innovative research in the Humanities for authors and readers? How do we disseminate content to a broad, global audience? How can the free publication and dissemination of scientific content be made viable and financially sustainable in the long term?
We invite experts and institutions committed to Open Access – in particular editors of Open Access journals, authors and readers, those responsible for Open Access in university libraries and IT services, representatives of academic institutions, scientific foundations, government institutions for science and education, and publishing houses – to share and discuss experiences and strategies in Open Access publishing in the Humanities.
The goal of the workshop is to draw on the practical experience of various stakeholders in order to develop a position paper that makes concrete proposals for sustainable best practices in Open Access production, publication, and distribution.
Working Method
The main objective of the workshop is to engage all participants in discussions. Brief presentations will provide input to encourage conversation both in the plenary and in small groups in which participants can share their experience and expertise and together formulate new ideas for sustainable Open Access strategies for the future.
Organisation
Dr. Natalie Fritz, natalie.fritz@evtheol.uni-muenchen.de
Prof. Dr. Daria Pezzoli-Olgiati, pezzoli@lmu.de
Margherita Marini, M.A., margherita.marini@evtheol.uni-muenchen.de
Study of Religion and the History of Religion
Faculty for Protestant Theology
LMU Munich
Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1
80539 Munich