How Smaller Publishers Remain Relevant: Best Practices

How Smaller Publishers Remain Relevant: Best Practices

With limited resources, increasing competition, and the shift toward Open Access (OA), smaller scholarly publishers face many challenges in remaining relevant and financially sustainable. The ALPSP 2024 Annual Conference highlighted several key strategies that smaller publishers can use to navigate these challenges. Focusing on collaborative partnerships, technology adoption, transformative agreements, and innovative workflows, this session offered valuable insights from leaders in the industry. Below, we delve into the detailed presentations by Maggie Simmons, Shehnaz Ahmed, and Susan King, who shared practical strategies and examples from their experiences.

Maggie Simmons, Geological Society of London: Collaborative Partnerships and Transformative Agreements

Maggie Simmons, Director of Publishing at the Geological Society of London, provided a compelling discussion on how societies can maintain their relevance and financial stability through collaborative partnerships. The Geological Society, like many smaller learned societies, once relied heavily on self-publishing to disseminate its research, but this model has become increasingly unsustainable with the shift toward Open Access mandates and the rising costs of journal production. In response, the Geological Society forged long-term partnerships with large commercial publishers such as Oxford University Press (OUP) and Wiley.

Simmons emphasized that these partnerships are not just about outsourcing operations; they are strategic collaborations that allow societies to leverage the vast technological infrastructure and marketing expertise of larger publishers. This helps ensure that the Geological Society’s journals reach a broader global audience while maintaining the academic rigor and identity of the society. By working closely with publishers, the society can continue to focus on community engagement and subject expertise, leaving the logistical complexities of publication and distribution to their partners.

A critical element of the Geological Society’s success has been its adoption of Transformative Agreements, such as Read & Publish models. Simmons highlighted the importance of these agreements as they allow societies to transition toward Open Access without losing revenue streams that have traditionally been tied to subscription-based models. Read & Publish agreements ensure that society journals remain accessible to institutions while transitioning their articles to Open Access over time. These agreements also offer flexibility, allowing societies like the Geological Society to adapt their publishing strategies to meet their specific needs, such as balancing print and digital content, managing subscription revenue, and ensuring compliance with OA mandates like Plan S.

Simmons stressed that the success of these partnerships hinges on flexibility and transparency. Each partnership is uniquely tailored to the society’s needs, with clear communication and mutual goals ensuring long-term success. For smaller societies looking to retain relevance, these partnerships allow them to maintain their independence while benefiting from the expertise and resources of larger publishers.

Shehnaz Ahmed, British Association of Dermatologists: Balancing Society Publishing and Open Access

Shehnaz Ahmed, Director of Publishing at the British Association of Dermatologists, discussed the challenges smaller societies face in the post-self-publishing era. Ahmed explained that many learned societies have seen a significant decline in self-publishing due to the increasing operational burdens of journal production and the complexities of complying with Open Access mandates. As a result, societies like the British Association of Dermatologists have had to transition to partnering with established commercial publishers like OUP and Wiley.

These partnerships offer societies consistent revenues and operational expertise, allowing them to focus on their core missions—advancing research, supporting their members, and maintaining academic integrity. However, Ahmed was quick to point out that these partnerships come with their own challenges, particularly in terms of editorial control. While publishers handle the logistical aspects of journal production and distribution, societies often feel that they are losing some degree of control over editorial decision-making. Ahmed highlighted the importance of trust and open communication in these relationships to ensure that societies retain influence over their journals’ direction and content.

Ahmed also underscored the need for a clear, forward-thinking publishing strategy that aligns with Open Access goals. Smaller societies are often caught between the demands of their members and the requirements of funding bodies, and it is crucial to strike a balance between quantity and quality in publishing. As more research moves into the Open Access realm, smaller publishers must maintain the rigor and selectivity that their journals are known for while meeting the increasing demand for free access to research.

Susan King, Rockefeller University Press: Collaborative Networks, ReviewCommons, and the Manuscript Transfer Network

Susan King, Executive Director at Rockefeller University Press, provided valuable insights into how smaller publishers can innovate and collaborate to reduce operational burdens and remain competitive. King introduced the Life Science Alliance, a partnership between Rockefeller University Press, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (CSHL), and EMBO Press, as a prime example of how smaller publishers can pool their resources to manage the complexities of running a gold Open Access journal. This collaboration covers life and biomedical sciences, offering a platform where manuscripts can be transferred from one partner journal to another without needing resubmission, saving time and resources for both authors and publishers.

The Life Science Alliance partnership allows these organizations to share responsibilities in areas such as marketing, editorial management, and production workflows, minimizing the operational burden for each partner. King explained that this collaborative model allows the three presses to focus on maintaining high editorial standards while reducing costs. However, she acknowledged that while this model has been effective in keeping costs manageable, it has been challenging to scale beyond the initial partnerships. This reflects a broader issue facing smaller publishers: while collaboration can help reduce costs and improve efficiency, expanding collaborative models requires substantial investment in outreach and coordination.

King also highlighted another innovative collaboration: the Manuscript Transfer Network. This system allows authors to transfer their manuscripts between participating journals within the network, along with peer review comments and editorial feedback, eliminating the need for authors to go through multiple rounds of submission and review. This network improves the author experience by simplifying the submission process and reducing the time it takes for papers to be published. However, King noted that the network’s uptake has been lower than expected, signaling a need for more author education and engagement with academic communities to encourage its use.

Additionally, King discussed the success of ReviewCommons, a preprint peer review platform launched by EMBO Press and ASAPbio. ReviewCommons facilitates peer review for preprints before journal submission, allowing authors to receive constructive feedback early in the publication process. Once reviewed, authors can revise their manuscripts and submit them to participating journals with the peer reviews attached. This model significantly reduces duplication in the peer review process, accelerates the dissemination of research, and ensures that reviewers’ efforts are not wasted when a paper is submitted to multiple journals. For smaller publishers, participating in ReviewCommons offers a way to improve efficiency and reduce costs in the peer review process, while also ensuring that authors benefit from faster publication timelines.

Agility and Technology Adoption: Leveraging Innovation to Stay Competitive

Throughout the session, the importance of agility and technology adoption was a recurring theme. Smaller publishers have the advantage of being more flexible than larger organizations, enabling them to quickly adopt new technologies that streamline operations and improve the author and reader experience. AI-driven tools were frequently discussed, with several panelists noting the growing importance of AI in automating tasks such as peer review management, content discovery, and editorial workflows. By embracing AI and automation, smaller publishers can increase their operational efficiency and reduce costs, allowing them to focus more on content quality and community engagement.

The need for digital-first strategies was also highlighted. As more research moves online, smaller publishers must prioritize digitizing their content and adopting modern publishing platforms that facilitate Open Access and content discoverability. While smaller publishers may not have the same financial resources as larger entities, they can remain competitive by focusing on digital transformation and leveraging the tools and technologies available to improve their workflows.

Themes and Solutions for Smaller Publishers

These presentations at ALPSP 2024 offered an overview of how smaller publishers can remain relevant in a rapidly evolving industry. The key themes of collaborative partnerships, transformative agreements, technology adoption, and innovation were central to the discussions. Smaller publishers, particularly those affiliated with learned societies, might consider seeking out strategic partnerships with larger publishers to leverage their resources and infrastructure, allowing them to focus on community building and subject expertise.

Furthermore, the adoption of Transformative Agreements has become a go-to option for ensuring financial stability while transitioning to Open Access. By entering Read & Publish models, smaller publishers can secure consistent revenue streams while gradually shifting to fully open models that align with Plan S mandates.

Collaboration remains a critical factor in helping smaller publishers reduce costs and improve operational efficiency. As illustrated by Life Science Alliance, ReviewCommons, and the Manuscript Transfer Network, smaller publishers can pool their resources, share responsibilities, and improve the author experience. However, these collaborations require significant investment in outreach and education to ensure their success.

While the challenges facing smaller publishers are substantial, the solutions discussed at ALPSP 2024 provide a clear roadmap for success. By embracing collaboration, innovation, and agility, smaller publishers can continue to provide valuable content and services to their academic communities, ensuring their long-term sustainability in the scholarly publishing ecosystem.

– by Tony Alves

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