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UKSGUKSG

A Day in the Life of a Journal Publisher

One size doesn’t fit all: another perspective

Katy ChristomanouPublisher, CABI Publishing

k.christomanou@cabi.org

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About CAB About CAB InternationalInternational

• Status: CAB International is a global not-for-

profit organisation with its headquarters in the

UK and offices in North America, Asia, and

Africa;

• Ownership: c.40 member governments

including UK, Canada, China, and Australia;

• Activities: Publishing and information

management, scientific research, and

development assistance;

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CAB International’s Locations

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CABI CABI PublishingPublishingCore activitiesCore activities

• Databases;

• Journals;

• Books and Reference Works;

• Compendia;

• Information Solutions;

• Information for Development;

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Subject coverageSubject coverageSubject coverageSubject coverage

• Animal Science• Crop Protection• Forest Science• Horticulture• Human Nutrition• Soil Science• Plant Sciences• Agricultural Economics• Dairy Science

• Leisure, Recreation, Tourism

• Medical and Veterinary Parasitology, Entomology and Mycology

• International Health and Infectious Diseases

• Rural Development and Health

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CABI CABI PublishingPublishing products productsCABI CABI PublishingPublishing products products• Primary and review journals

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CABI CABI PublishingPublishing products productsCABI CABI PublishingPublishing products products• Books and reference works

60 each year

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CABI CABI PublishingPublishing products productsCABI CABI PublishingPublishing products products• Bibliographic databases:

Print

Online

CD-ROM, CAB SPECTRUMCAB COLLECTION

Internet

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CABI CABI PublishingPublishing products productsCABI CABI PublishingPublishing products products• Internet knowledge communities:

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CABI CABI PublishingPublishing products productsCABI CABI PublishingPublishing products products• Interactive educational and reference

products:

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Journals ProgrammeJournals Programme14 Primary and Review Titles14 Primary and Review Titles

Journals ProgrammeJournals Programme14 Primary and Review Titles14 Primary and Review Titles

• American Journal of Alternative Agriculture

• Animal Health Research Reviews

• Aquatic Resources, Culture and Development

• British Journal of Nutrition

• Bulletin of Entomological Research

• Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology

• In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology - Plant

• Journal of Helminthology

• Nutrition Research Reviews

• Plant Genetic Resources - characterization and utilization

• Public Health Nutrition

• Proceedings of the Nutrition Society

• Seed Science Research

• Soil Use and Management

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Journals ProgrammeJournals ProgrammePartner SocietiesPartner Societies

Journals ProgrammeJournals ProgrammePartner SocietiesPartner Societies

• The Nutrition Society• Society for In Vitro Biology - Plant

Division• International Association for Plant

Tissue Culture & Biotechnology• International Society for Seed Science• British Society of Soil Science• NIAB

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Why the need to work with Why the need to work with external agentsexternal agents

Why the need to work with Why the need to work with external agentsexternal agents

• Programme not very big yet

• Have tried self-hosting but proved not to be scaleable or cost-effective

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Working with external Working with external agenciesagencies

Working with external Working with external agenciesagencies

• Day-to-day aspects

• Implications for product enhancement and development

• Issues of relevance to librarians

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Submission to publicationSubmission to publicationSubmission to publicationSubmission to publication

• Editorial processSubmission to acceptance of manuscripts:

externally managed by editorial offices responsible for peer review

• Production processReceipt of accepted manuscript to publication

in print and online

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Submission to publication Submission to publication (cont’d)(cont’d)

Submission to publication Submission to publication (cont’d)(cont’d)

• Production process Manuscript received and logged in tracking system Manuscript sent to freelance copy editor Copy-edited manuscript or disk to typesetters Proofs to authors, editors, CABI Author’s comments collated and sent to typesetters Revised proofs to CABI collated in issue Approval to print and request of electronic files Printed copies dispatched and electronic files sent to

online host

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Day-to-day aspectsDay-to-day aspectsDay-to-day aspectsDay-to-day aspects

• Schedules agreed in advance of a volume

• Turnarounds fixed

• Delays at one stage in the process can be amplified in later stages, e.g. missed slots etc.

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Product developmentProduct developmentProduct developmentProduct development

• Enhancing existing products can be limited by systems used by suppliers

• Host may be developing at a different pace (e.g. advance online publication)

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Product development Product development (cont’d)(cont’d)

Product development Product development (cont’d)(cont’d)

• Trying and testing new ideas

Publisher’s input

Interpretation and feedback

Expense

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Relevance to librariansRelevance to librariansRelevance to librariansRelevance to librarians

• Ease of access and support • Minimum bureaucracy (e.g. licensing

agreements)• Stability and reliability• Implications of changes of hosts (can

also result from change of Publisher) Set-up Access to past volumes

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Pros and ConsPros and ConsProsPros

Pros and ConsPros and ConsProsPros

• No need for investment in technology• Easier to offer products via a platform

that keeps up with industry standards, including setting up agreements with third party hosts (linkage/CrossRef, pay-per-view, document delivery)

• Costs of day-to-day operation are fixed• Reliability

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Pros and ConsPros and ConsConsCons

Pros and ConsPros and ConsConsCons

• Inflexibility of systems• ‘Template’ approach to online publication• Product development more difficult and

more expensive to implement• Conflicting priorities/different business

objectives• Hosts can suffer changes (mergers etc)• Reliability?

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Journals at CABI Journals at CABI PublishingPublishingJournals at CABI Journals at CABI PublishingPublishing

Thank you

Any questions?

www.cabi.org

tel: 01491 832 111

fax: 01491 833 508

email: k.christomanou@cabi.org