Assessing the Success of Library Published Journals

Abstract

In 2015, the University of Minnesota (UMN) Libraries launched a publishing program. Following in the footsteps of earlier library publishing initiatives, the program seeks to serve campus by providing an affordable venue for publishing quality open access journals and other openly accessible formats. However, given UMN Libraries Publishing’s diverse portfolio and its non-traditional business model, assessing the program’s success required innovative thinking that did not depend on sales figures or disciplinary-specific metrics. This paper will discuss UMN Libraries Publishing’s development of journal-level goals to assess publication-level success and, in turn, assess the success of a library publishing program. The paper will present examples of journal goals, templates for editorial boards, and timelines for publishing workflows related to assessment.