Sustainable OJS infrastructure for electronic publishing of academic journals (follow-up application)

• Applicants: Dr. Albert Geukes, since 3/2018; Petra Hätscher; Dr. Veit Probst
• Term: from 2017 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 346506625

The project aims at facilitating, expanding and securing a long-term availability of the publication of academic journals using the open source software Open Journal Systems (OJS). OJS is the most widely used software for publishing academic journals across the globe. OJS supports editorial processes based on user roles and offers a publication platform for journals. There are many interfaces for exporting metadata and articles to other systems. The project was originally submitted with a duration of 36 months, of which 24 months were applied for funding initially. This follow-up application encompasses funding for another 12 months. The project partners are pursuing these goals in the third year of the project: 1. The software Open Journal Systems will be further optimized and adapted to existing needs. The main focus of software development will be based on the results of the user survey, which has been conducted in the first project phase, and on the collaborations within the network of German-language OJS users and their needs, focusing on sustainability, metadata and interfaces. 2. Institutions and editorial teams using OJS will have access to quick and reliable support with technical question on how to install and use OJS and on how to solve organizational issues in setting up local OJS services. Furthermore, the project will provide German-language manuals on OJS. OJS seminars will educate users in OJS, who can then act as multipliers at their home institutions. Thus we will enable a rise both in the number and the quality of OJS journals at German-language institutions. 3. The German-language OJS community will be expanded in two directions: a network of OJS hosting providers supports institutions who are building local OJS services. A network for OJS developers will coordinate software developments among German speaking users. This way we can provide sustainable communication structures, which will be visible and available through a distinct network structure. An overarching goal of the third year is to test and adapt all activities with respect to their long term sustainability. Including other partners into the central network activities is one of the ways to achieve this. Another way will be to encourage institutions within the network to actively contribute to the network activities, by providing services of their own to other members. We will also develop a concept to continue the network activities and, if possible, the support services, beyond the funded period.

• DFG Programme: Science Communication, Research Data, eResearch (Scientific Library Services and Information Systems)
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Nicolas Apostolopoulos, until 3/2018