January issue of Learned Publishing is now online

["Sally Morris \(Morris Associates\)" <sally@morris-assocs.demon.co.uk>]

The January 2008 issue of Learned Publishing is now online.  It 
is full of both practical and thought-provoking articles, with 
much of particular interest to learned society publishers, and 
articles covering such wide-ranging topics as books, data, 
innovation, usage statistics and references.

The Editorial <http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X248383> raises 
the question of what constitutes 'quality' in journals publishing 
- not just the content, but also the publishing process.

Two well-regarded consultants give sound advice to learned 
societies.  Mary Waltham 
<http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X247294> shares her 
experience of what society and association members really want, 
and how to ensure that membership remains a 'must-have,' while 
Mark Ware <http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X248329> explains 
exactly how to choose a publishing partner (information which 
will be equally valuable to would-be partners!).

In the arts, humanities and social sciences, books are more 
important than journals; Robin Derricourt 
<http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X248356> Managing Director of 
the University of New South Wales Press, puts forward a novel 
proposal for subsidising scholarly books in Australia, which 
could be equally workable elsewhere.

And we return to the humanities and social sciences when LP's 
former Editor-in-Chief, Robert Welham 
<http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X254502> reviews the British 
Academy's report on the challenges of Peer Review in those 
fields.

Data is another important topic in this issue.  Professor 
Christine Borgman <http://dx/doi.org/10.1087/095315108X254476> of 
UCLA discusses the role of data both in different disciplines, 
and in scholarly publishing itself.  And three authors from the 
International Union of Crystallography, Peter Strickland, Brian 
McMahon and John Helliwell 
<http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X248347> describe how a 
standard format has been developed for data in one particular 
discipline, and how this is integrated with journal publishing - 
lessons here, perhaps, for other fields?

Innovation is another theme.  Consultant and former publisher Dan 
Penny <http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X247258> looks at what 
the exciting range of new and developing technological 
developments may hold for publishing.  And Vanessa Lafaye 
<http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X248365> describes how 
Blackwell went about developing a very specific innovation, the 
Compass series of journals, with lessons for all who want to make 
innovation part of their culture.

Our customers - libraries - are not neglected either. 
Librarians Professor Gayle Baker and Eleanor Read 
<http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X247276> have surveyed 92 of 
their US colleagues about the usage data they get from publishers 
and intermediaries - how they use them, and what the problems 
are;  Peter Shepherd 
<http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X248374>, Director of Project 
COUNTER, responds to the resultant suggestions in a Letter to the 
Editors.

References are the bugbear of our 'Points of View' author, 
palaeontologist Stephen Donovan 
<http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X254494>; he argues that a 
reference to a book or article is not sufficiently specific, and 
that authors should always cite a precise page (or even 
illustration).

All articles are free to ALPSP/SSP members and to subscribers; 
editorials, reviews and letters to the Editors, as well as any 
articles where the author has taken up the 'ALPSP Author Choice' 
OA option, are now free to all. Enjoy your reading (and if 
anything stimulates you to respond, don't hesitate to contact 
us)!

Sally Morris, Editor-in-Chief (editor@alpsp.org)
Priscilla Markwood, North American Editor (us-editor@alpsp.org)