Are you interested in learning more about how to launch a successful open access (OA) journal?

At Scholastica, we often hear from scholars who want to launch an OA journal but are unsure of where to begin. In response to the need we’ve seen among academics for a comprehensive guide to starting and operating an OA journal, we decided to create a free ebook— The OA Journal Starter Kit.

We are pleased to officially release The OA Journal Starter Kit today! This succinct CC BY ebook encompasses all of the information needed to get an OA journal off the ground, cultivate a readership, and attract submissions and reviewers during the first year of publication.

The OA Journal Starter Kit covers how to:

  • Create a journal publishing schedule and editorial plan
  • Acquire journal and article level identifiers
  • Develop a copyright policy
  • Generate publication funding
  • Make content searchable and index ready
  • Position your journal to stand out in the crowd

There are lots of great free resources on the web about OA publishing. We’ve included links to additional reading throughout and at the end of the The OA Journal Starter Kit, so those interested in OA publishing can quickly and easily access a wide range of information.

We created The OA Journal Starter Kit to serve as a resource, not only to those looking to launch an OA journal, but to those interested in the benefits and process behind open access publishing. In embracing the OA movement, academics around the world are beginning to break down longstanding paywall barriers between those who can and cannot access research. We support and hope to contribute to the OA movement and the opportunity OA journals provide to increase the availability and impact of scholarship.

We’re excited to be sharing this resource before the 8th annual Open Access Week! As OA advocates around the world prepare to come together to facilitate OA initiatives, we hope The OA Journal Starter Kit will serve as a useful tool to those considering OA publishing.

We encourage you to check out the ebook, share it with friends and colleagues, and offer your feedback in the comments section of this post!

The OA Journal Starter Kit is a living, online resource, which we hope to edit and add to as the open access movement progresses.

Tales from the Trenches