Want to propose a new journal to be published?
Fill out this form and the Scholarly Communications Initiatives team will help you get it started!
Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology is published by the School of Integrated Health Sciences.
One of the benefits to having an institutional repository platform is the ability to publish Open Access journals. To get started, review the steps below!
You can check out this link to view a current list of journals published in Digital Scholarship@UNLV.
Is your journal a good match for Digital Scholarship@UNLV?
Digital Scholarship@UNLV is more than a repository - it is also an open access journal publishing platform and conference paper management system.
Consider the following questions before deciding:
Digital Scholarship@UNLV does not host subscription-based journals nor provide a mechanism for creating print issues.
Colleges, departments, and administrative units are designated the publishers of the journals -rather than individual faculty members or outside organizations. This is to ensure that the journals published at UNLV are sustainable and remain connected to UNLV, even if the faculty member that proposes the journal takes a new position or retires. The Dean of the College (and Department Chair when applicable) will need to sign an MOU with the University Libraries and Provost's office.
The University Libraries' role is limited in the running of the journal. We host the journal through our ongoing subscription to the Elsevier bepress Digital Commons system. We assist with communication with bepress and can provide guidance on journal polices (such as author rights, copyright, Creative Commons) and general use of the system, but you will be responsible for managing all aspects of the journal (from development of the journal to publication of all issues).
As of 2022, the platform comes with DOI minting. However, the journals are responsible for working directly with bepress staff to create DOIs (digital object identifiers) and follow standard practices such as including DOIs in article citations.
While the library pays the Digital Scholarship@UNLV platform annual subscription cost, there are value added publishing services provided by bepress, which improve journal preservation and discoverability. These can be expensive and we recommend reviewing options closely before deciding. We can connect you with a bepress staff member to discuss pricing and details.
Steps to using Digital Scholarship@UNLV to publish your journal
If you have determined that your journal is a good match for Digital Scholarship@UNLV (see above), the steps below outline the process for requesting to use the platform and an overview of the steps taken to get the journal set up on the site.
Staff from the Scholarly Communication and Data Services will request a meeting after the proposal is received if your proposal is your first contact with the library about the journal.
Scholarly Communication and Data Services will review the proposal and get back to you with any questions. We will do our best to reply within two weeks.
Complete the journal proposal form. You will need to login with your unlv.edu email account.
We will cover topics like open access, the library's minimal role in the operations of the journal, and tips and ideas from other editors, and address any questions from editors.
The MOU template has been vetted by UNLV Counsel and the only changes we make are to the parties involved. If additional changes are needed, UNLV Counsel will be consulted again. Depending on the publisher (academic or administrative unit responsible for the journal) the MOU will be signed by the Dean of the college or appropriate administrator, department Chair (or administrator), Dean of the University Libraries, and by the Executive Vice President and Provost.
This form gathers basic configuration information for the journal. SCI can help you answer questions on the form as needed, and advise with setting policies (such as copyright) and with communications and introductions to bepress representatives.
The time it will take you to set up the journal in collaboration with bepress will vary from journal to journal based on your journal's requirements. Examples of why journal set up varies by journal include (but are not limited to):
Whether you wish to have a custom design or whether you prefer a look that matches the Digital Scholarship@UNLV style
Share news of your journal's start and initial call for papers with the library. Given enough lead time, would be happy to help promote your journal through various library social media and announcement channels.