After Ten Years Of Publishing, What’s Next For PLOS?

David Knutson | PLOS.org | January 24, 2013

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...