When new publishing models, technologies, and formats begin to develop, the Association of University Presses is frequently asked for a position statement or opinion on this next “big thing.” Our response is always that the Association measures any technology innovation or new publishing model against:
- The mission we share with all member presses to cultivate knowledge around the world through the dissemination of vetted works of scholarship and to ensure academic excellence through high professional and editorial standards;
- And our commitment to core values of intellectual freedom, equity and inclusion, integrity, and stewardship.
We weigh terms, requirements, and outcomes of any new idea against the effects on the intellectual freedom of authors, readers, and communities that may be the subject of research. We look to the diversity of voices who are able to equitably take part in the scholarly conversation as well as to the diversity of readers who can be reached through new models or technologies. We look to the integrity of the scholarly record as it is preserved, translated, and credited. And we look to build robust and sustainable systems of scholarly publishing—stewarding the resources of institutions, supporting the equitable labor of scholarly communications, and respecting the work of researchers throughout the cycle of scholarship.
The members of our Association always will hold a range of views, institutional commitments, and resource capacities in relationship to major technology or business model innovations. When such a technology or model begins to affect our community, the Association’s first role is to develop necessary resources, pursue partnerships, respond to policymaking, and hold open conversations that can promote important and evolving ideas in scholarly communications in ways that are beneficial to our members, our mission, and our values.
Adopted by the AUPresses Board of Directors, March 2024. This articulation of the Association’s general principles when approaching new technologies and business models is in keeping with our mission and core values, as well as previous commitments and statements including our Statement on Open Access, our Statement on Equity & Anti-Racism, “Facing Censorship: A Statement of Guiding Principles,” and the Publishers Compact supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals.