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After Ten Years of Publishing, What’s Next for PLOS?

At our ten year mark as a publisher of Open Access journals, PLOS announces a year-long series of events to recognize and advance the innovations brought about through the adoption of Open Access publishing. These activities will target both the scientific  community and the public at large.

The history and benefits of Open Access remain a largely untold story. In 2000, to address a lack of access to the majority of scientific research published behind paywalls, our founders shook up the academic science establishment with an Open Access petition.  Two years later, incorporated as the non-profit  Public Library of Science, PLOS created an Open Access publishing model by launching its first journal, PLOS Biology, followed by six other journals over the decade that followed.  Today, working as advocates, publishers and innovators, in tandem with a vibrant and growing community of supporters, we continue our founders’ mission to transform research communication.

During our tenth anniversary year, PLOS will partner with media organizations to demonstrate the many ways in which biomedical research published on an open access platform can affect peoples’ lives for the better. With monthly online dialogues, we’ll invite leading advocates in conversation to look ahead at the possible future of open access scientific discovery and publishing.

Additional offerings during our tenth anniversary year will include programs to increase adoption of Open Access, deliver more innovations in publishing, and expand peer-review , including pre-and post-publication. Our vision is to help the research community build a truly open, distributed, and reusable public repository of ideas and data. Here are details of what we’re working on for 2013. Stay tuned to the Official PLOS Blog, Twitter, and Facebook for the latest news.

  • Reinventing Science:  Stories of Open Discovery: This multimedia series, consisting of feature articles, research summaries and podcasts, will profile researchers who are tapping into the knowledge of Open Access journals and collections to help accelerate their own research and enhance collaboration with peers around the globe. The series will be produced in collaboration with an online news and broadcast radio partner and will debut in early spring.
  • PLOS Conversations on Open Access:  Hosted by Cameron Neylon, this regular podcast will round-up the latest happenings and discussions about Open Access, open research, and open data. Look for the series to debut in early spring on the PLOS Blog and social media sites.
  • More About “HowOpenIsIt?”: The conversation has moved from “is it open?” to “HowOpenIsIt?”, and to continue this discussion, PLOS will unveil new resources and tools that help authors, readers, and funders understand the benefits of Open Access and how to apply components of the HowOpenIsIt? Open Access Spectrum at the article and journal level.
  • Article-Level Metrics: Through ongoing forums, live and virtual events, and other activities, PLOS will continue to make advances in article-level metrics and other mechanisms for broadening peer review to include post-publication impact indicators, along with better tools for assessing organizing, and reusing research ideas and data.
  • The PLOS Journals: In 2013, PLOS Medicine turns its attention to non-communicable diseases and the burden of disease they cause, while PLOS ONE continues its growth as the world’s largest peer reviewed journal.  In October, PLOS Biology celebrates the journal’s tenth birthday with special activities and events to be announced — look for details in PLOS Biologue. The community journals, PLOS Pathogens, PLOS NTDs, PLOS Genetics and PLOS Computational Biologywill continue to publish the research of an international roster of authors, working, as do all our journals,  with the help of dedicated volunteer editors and peer reviewers who are the backbone of these publications. Look for announcements of new collection launches in PLOS journals throughout the year.
  • Journal Enhancements: PLOS is increasing user interaction and readability, such as the recently announced redesign of the PLOS journal interface, and investing in enhanced tools for article authoring and submission.

PLOS is grateful to the authors, readers, reviewers, editors, advisors, librarians, funders, and collaborators who have supported our mission as an advocate, publisher, and innovator. We look forward to continuing to shape the future of scientific research communications.

Keep up with these tenth anniversary programs and new ones to come on the PLOS home page and the Official PLOS Blog.

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