BC ELN is offering partner libraries no-cost journal hosting and support on a shared implementation of OJS (Open Journal Systems). This service provides medium and smaller institutions with limited technical capacity the opportunity to publish open access jounals in a fully supported environment.The service is run in partnership with the University of Alberta Library, which provides hosting and maintenance, DOI minting, training materials, and other technical services. BC ELN provides coordination and technical support.

Policies and templates

• Journal Proposal Template (adapt for your institution): http://bit.ly/ArcaNewJournalProposal
• MOU Template (adapt for your institution): to be signed by applicants for new journals after their proposals are approved.

Benefits and Responsibilities

Benefits

Offering educators, researchers, and learners access to digital journal publishing has become imperative for many Canadian educational institutions. Hosting journals and publishing software is beyond the reach of many. However, participation in Arca Publishing makes it possible through collaboration, cost-sharing, and coordination of infrastructure and resources.

By participating in Arca Publishing, sites are able to:

• Build for the future;
• Coordinate digital resource management efficiently;
• Avoid costs through centralized coordination & licensing;
• Reinforce organisation brand position & prestige;
• Access the Arca Publishing Administrative Centre, including technical expertise, training, communication infrastructure, etc..

Requirements & Responsibilities

The BC ELN Publishing service can only be as robust as its members. Participants must meet the following requirements:

• Be operational in Canada and demonstrate a commitment to the principle of open access;
• Be a BC ELN Partner Library, meeting membership requirements for BC ELN Partner Libraries.

Responsibilities of BC ELN Publishing participants include:

• Work directly with journal editorial teams at their institution;
• Be responsible for all aspects of creating, operating, and managing journals, which may include, but is not limited to:
  • Editorial services, publishing processes, journal website administration, advertising and promotional services, advising, staffing (volunteer or paid), print publication, soliciting or creating content, or securing copyright clearance to publish third-party content;
• Upon publication, make all online Journal content available open access and free of charge
  • Journals may be exempted from the Open Access mandate if cultural restrictions on access apply.
• Designate a primary organisational contact for BC ELN Publishing;
• Display a BC ELN logo and a University of Alberta Libraries logo in the footer of their journal sites;
• Agree to levy no publication, article processing, or other fees upon authors or content creators who submit content to the Journals;
• License all Journal content produced under this MoU with a Creative Commons license available from ​https://creativecommons.org​ (except in the aforementioned case of cultural access restrictions);
• In the event of a decision to discontinue using the journal hosting service, attempt provide the Library with 3 months prior written notice of the intention to do so

Responsibilities of the Administrative Centre include:

• Providing access to the Open Journal Systems (OJS) software for the purpose of hosting an open access journal;
• Implementation support;
• Front-line troubleshooting and technical support; liaison with service provider/development community on bugs;
• Act as the intermediary for all communication and technical support contact between the Publishing Partner and the University of Alberta Libraries;
• Provide initial training to local administrators in the use of hosting service, with the goal that the journals be self sufficient and publish independently;
• Ongoing service support, including communications, coordination of service support fees if applicable, governance, and service provider negotiations.