Editorial

Where can university presses find the support, resources and guidance they need to succeed and demonstrate value? In this editorial, Megan Taylor, Director of Content and Research at The International Bunch takes us through some of the key places to find help.

In this week's editorial, Joanna Ball discusses UKSG's commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). The article provides an update on last year's EDI audit and shares the EDI statement developed by UKSG Trustees in response to this and plans for the development of a resourced and measurable EDI action plan.

Data collection is part of everyday life. From social media posts to smart sensors, we individually and at the household level produce data constantly. However, we don’t often see where that data goes or how it impacts us when it’s used. This editorial explores the work of the Liverpool City Region Civic Data Cooperative which aims to make data about the region work for the people who live here and ultimately improve the health and wealth of the area.

In September 2023 the Royal Society of Chemistry launched their vision for a great science culture. It outlines the key qualities and foundations of a positive science culture, as well as the underpinning role of recognition in incentivising individuals, teams, and organisations to contribute to an enabling community and quality science (outlined in the schematic). Emma Wilson outlines the process they went through, the research undertaken and the outcomes they are looking for.

Earlier this year, The Company of Biologists announced a new biodiversity initiative – The Forest of Biologists – through which they’re planting and protecting trees on behalf of the communities that surround their journals: Development, Journal of Cell Science, Journal of Experimental Biology, Disease Models & Mechanisms, and Biology Open. As part of this initiative, a new tree has been planted in the Young People’s Forest at Mead in Derbyshire for each Research Article and Review article published in the journals. And to acknowledge the efforts of peer reviewers, they’re helping to protect the trees in a piece of ancient woodland at Great Knott Wood in the Lake District National Park, overlooking Lake Windermere.

Citations play a powerful role in academia, both institutionally and for individual careers. They are hugely important as they often form the bedrock of research assessment practices and are increasingly influential in job applications and promotions, grant applications and university rankings. However, worryingly, there is increasing evidence that women, people of colour, and other minoritized groups are systemically under cited. This editorial explores what role citations might play in addressing inequalities and how citation practices could be utilised to begin to change things.

Pooja Aggarwal is Director of Academic and Professional Publishing at Bloomsbury and has been working in this industry for over 20 years. In this editorial, she reflects on the current status of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA) in the workplace and leaves recommendations for improvement.

Our eNews co-editor Tom Morley sat down with Joe Deville to find out more about the Open Book Futures project. Joe Deville is Principal Investigator on Open Book Futures and is a Senior Lecturer at Lancaster University, based jointly in the Department of Sociology and the Department of Organisation, Work and Technology.

This editorial highlights the collaborative relationship between the Research & Innovation Service and the University Library Scholarly Comms Team at Northumbria University. The piece underscores the significance of breaking down silos between Academic Libraries and University Research Offices to foster a thriving research ecosystem.

Ruth Harrison explains the Imperial College approach to supporting OA books through transformative agreements, a combination of open access funds and the library subscriptions budget.