The Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) has decided to eliminate print publication of its journal Biology of Reproduction (BOR) and transition to an online-only, continuous publication model. This is due to declining print subscriptions and memberships but increasing costs of providing free digital content. The SSR will focus on developing new digital features like mobile access and print-on-demand for those wanting print copies. By making this change, the SSR aims to reallocate resources to new initiatives while transferring printing costs to end users and moving BOR fully online as the journal of record.
1. Society for the
Study of Reproduction
Eliminating Print... really?!
Judith Jansen
Executive Director
SSP 2013 Webinar #3
2. Formed in 1967
~2,200 members worldwide
Biology of Reproduction (BOR)
SSR’s Publications Committee
◦ Responsible for editorial policies
◦ Fiscal and managerial oversight
Society for the
Study of Reproduction
3. 1969 – 1998: Supported by institutional
subscriptions, publication
charges, percentage of membership dues
1998 – Introduced online publication with
HighWire Press; issues free after 12 months
2002 – Papers in Press (publish ahead of
print)
2002 – 2006
◦ Digitized all back content (1969 -1998) & made it
freely available
4. Institutional subscriptions stable
BOR - highest-impact journal publishing
basic research in reproductive sciences
Depositing data in CrossRef
Member of LOCKSS Program and CLOCKSS
Archive
50% increase in number of submissions
2,500+ pages published per year
5. Although new features increased the Journal’s
appeal - did not generate revenue
Significant increases in Impact Metrics
Significant increases in successful requests
for pages
Significant decline in subscriptions
Significant decline in number of members
No change in number of submissions
Escalation in costs, i.e., free content
continues to build and consume resources
6. Transfer the cost of print to end users
Go green
Allocate resources to new features
Rejoin BioOne collection
Encourage library consortial sales through
ISPG
7. Winter/Spring 2011: information gathering to
explore several initiatives
◦ continuous publication
◦ mobile journal site
◦ print-on-demand (PoD)
Summer 2011: Board of Directors approval
for all three initiatives
Development began with Allen Press and
HighWire Press for PoD and continuous
publication (respectively)
8. Q4 2011
◦ Development and testing
Q1 2012
◦ Continuous publication begins
◦ Development and costs for PoD and mobile
journal site approved
Q1-2012
◦ PoD finalized
Q2-3
◦ Mobile journal site finalized
Aug 2012
◦ Mobile site launched at SSR annual meeting
9. Introduce article numbering
Decide on posting schedule
Determine costs to authors
Discontinue agency discount
Work through the details of back-office and
vendor support
Examine the break-even points
Create the storefront
10. Create new production schedule for print
issues
Fully establish the online version of BOR as
the “journal of record” and the print product
as the “afterthought” in readers’ minds
Develop the PoD storefront for those readers
willing to pay a premium for print
11. Print is not missed!
Highlight and expand digital content features
and products
PoD – will continue as long as revenues cover
costs
The future: customized, personalized
collections
12. Authors like the continuous publication
model
◦ The future: shift efforts away from “publish
ahead of print”
Full color PoD
◦ Easy to support
◦ Still expensive
◦ Do we need to print in color?
1. The Society was formed in 1967 “…to promote the study of reproduction by fostering interdisciplinary communication within the science, by holding conferences, and by publication of meritorious studies…”2. SSR currently has about 2200 members engaged in basic and clinical research in reproductive biology3. Our monthly journal, Biology of Reproduction, was first published in 1969; it consists of peer-reviewed research and reviews4. The Publications Committee is responsible for establishing editorial policies and it has fiscal and managerial oversight of the journal. Staff size: overall, 8 – 2.5 positions devoted to publications and includes the journal and all Society publications, including the web site.
The publishing wind was at our backs .. grant money for research, innovation in science, in publishing,1. Revenue sources: Institutional subscriptions; page and color charges for authors, with lower fees for SSR members (no change) – minimal income from advertising2. 1998: online and print versions free to SSR members as a benefit of membership (3400 members in 1998) – subscription to the Journal had always been a benefit of membership; online access free with print subscriptions for institutional subscribers ; back issues free to all after 12 months3. 2002: Authors’ manuscripts published online (Papers in Press) & freely available within two weeks of acceptance.4. Between 2002 and 2004, all back content was digitized (PDFs) and made freely available online.
1. Although subscription revenue remained stable (no change to subscription model), SSR’s membership numbers were shrinking.2. Increased number of submissions and features added to the online journal increased staff & editorial costs
Contradictions….Decline in subscriptions (print & online) by institutional subscribersDecline in membership 30%)Continued increases in editorial & production costs Continued demands for new featuresSignificant increases in Impact Metrics (ISI 2012 jcr Science Edition, June 2013): 4.027 impact factor; 4.139 five-year impact factor; >10.0 cited half life.Significant increases in successful requests for pages
Most easily identified cost center was printing (composition also costly, but necessary)1. Transfer the cost of producing a print product to the end user.2. Allocate resources to new goals & features, e.g., mobile app, etc., rather than 3. We decided to rejoin BioOne collection to reach markets that could not afford subscription fees.4. Dues were increased substantially for SSR members…to help cover the cost of servicing the subscriptions.New Business Model - online access as a benefit of membership (~2200 members); print purchased at cost. Publication Charges - members pay less than do non-member authors for articles published under access control; authors’ choice―open access option at higher cost.Number of Institutional subscriptions - not bundled: online, 399; print, 118. . Our content is marketed to library consortia through ISPG
None
Q4 2011 - Development and testing for continuous publication. PoD and Mobile journal site development begins.Q1 2012 - Continuous publication begins; publishing weeklyDevelopment and costs for POD and Mobile journal site approvedQ1-2 – POD finalizedQ2-3 – Mobile journal site finalizedAnd finally at our 2012 meeting the mobile site was launched.So in about one year, we determined, planned and implemented this new strategy
Everything you needed to know before you started, but didn’t…..needed to identify “services” that were time sinks, and eliminate them when possible.1. Article numbering – pages are numbered within the article2. We post every Thursday3. Cost to authors – transition from a page charge to Author Pays - Choice4. Discontinued Agency Discount5. The back-end: getting the digital article-by-article issue to the digital press6. Examining the break-even points (fewest number of sales to cover cost of printing one issue)7. Creating the storefront for print purchases
1. Previously, the print product was available on the 20th of the month preceding the issue month; with continuous publication, the print product for the issue month does not close until the end of the month and, thus, is not available on the digital press for several weeks. 2. This shift caused a lot of confusion for subscribers, even though the impending changes were communicated to members and subscribers.3. Print was produced for those who needed/desired it and were willing to pay a premium price.
1. Our digital offering includes cover gallery, videos, interviews, and other supplementary data, etc.2. The future: develop a print process whereby users can select articles and compile their own bound collections.
1….so does staff!2. The future of continuous publication will be to discontinue “publish ahead of print” and shift efforts to publishing the final article within two weeks of acceptance.3. Full-color, PoD is easy to support; transitions from digital to print readily…Do we need to print in color?4. Even on a digital press….color is very expensive.
