Hello all!

We are excited to announce the launch of the Journal of Open Initiatives in Academic Libraries (JOI)! Our new journal aims to explore and promote the advancement of open research and scholarship initiatives involving academic libraries or other academic and research support units. As we embark on this transformative journey, we will be calling for contributions from academic library professionals, researchers, educators, and practitioners to our new journal.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

Open Initiatives in Higher Education/Academic Libraries: Highlighting innovative initiatives and case studies conducted by academic library personnel that promote open scholarship within higher education institutions and the academic library environment, including policy development, advocacy efforts, and community engagement.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Open Access: Exploring collaborative initiatives and partnerships between academic libraries, researchers, publishers, funders, and other stakeholders to advance open access principles across disciplinary boundaries.
Research Data Management: Exploring best practices, tools, and strategies for effective management, curation, publishing, and sharing of research data within academic library settings and campus research communities.
Scholarly Communications: Investigating innovative approaches to scholarly communication, including publication ethics, author rights advocacy, peer review systems, and metrics for evaluating scholarly impact.
Copyright: Analyzing legal frameworks, policies, and practices related to copyright issues in the context of open scholarship, including fair use and fair dealing, licensing, and related intellectual property rights.
Grant Proposal Support: Providing insights and resources for supporting researchers in securing funding for open scholarship initiatives, including grant writing tips, funding opportunities, and collaboration strategies.
Teaching and Learning: Exploring open pedagogical approaches, instructional design, and educational resources for integrating open scholarship principles into student learning experiences through academic libraries.
Open Access Publishing: Examining the challenges and opportunities associated with open access publishing or alternative publishing models, including institutional repositories, open access journals, and library publishing programs.
Technology Ecosystems and Infrastructure: Investigating how technology and metadata ecosystems are leveraged to support open initiatives.
Emerging Technologies: Applications of emerging technologies, including generative AI, to enhance open initiative process and practice.

Submission Guidelines:

Manuscripts should be original contributions and adhere to the journal's formatting guidelines.
Submissions must be made through our online submission system.
Authors are encouraged to carefully review the scope of the journal and ensure that their submissions align with the aims and objectives outlined above.
Please review our complete Submission Guidelines on the website.

Important Dates:

Submission Deadline: March 7th, 2025
Expected Publication: September 2025

How to Submit:

Authors interested in contributing to the inaugural issue of JOI are invited to submit their manuscripts through Open Journal System's submission portal here.

If you are not ready to submit a manuscript, consider becoming an open peer reviewer! Register here, making sure to include your reviewing interests.

For inquiries or further information, please contact joi.editorial@gmail.com.

Thank you!

Mélanie Brunet

Reviews Co-Editor

Journal of Open Initiatives in Academic Libraries

Mélanie Brunet, PhD, MI (elle/she/her)

Bibliothécaire de l'éducation ouverte (intérimaire) | Open Education Librarian (Interim)

Apprentissage et réussite scolaire | Learning and Student Success

Bibliothèque de l'Université d'Ottawa | University of Ottawa Library

melanie.brunet@uottawa.ca

ORCID : orcid.org/0000-0002-6912-340X