PLoS to Launch New Journals
-- Library Journal, 1/11/2005
The Public Library of Science, a pioneering U.S. non-profit publisher of open access journals, will launch three new journals this year. Part of an ambitious plan to transform scientific publishing, PLoS launched PLoS Biology in 2003 and PLoS Medicine in 2004, both with the support of the Gordon and Bettie Moore Foundation. Next up are PLoS Computational Biology, PLoS Genetics, and PLoS Pathogens. Costs are covered by author fees, currently $1500. PLoS launched its publishing efforts after a 2000 campaign garnered the signatures of over 30,000 scientists worldwide demanding unfettered access to scientific research.
PLoS is partnering with the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB) to publish PLoS Computational Biology. The journal, now accepting submissions, is scheduled to launch in June 2005. PLoS Genetics, also now accepting submissions, will launch in July 2005. PLoS Pathogens will begin accepting submissions in March 2005 and begin publishing in autumn of 2005. Although it remains unclear whether PLoS publishing efforts are proving a sustainable business, the expansion of the program suggests that there is indeed demand. "We believe that scientific publishing should be funded upfront by the organizations that sponsor research, rather than at the back end through ever increasing subscription rates," asserted PLoS co-founder Harold Varmus. Meanwhile, PLoS officials said they were actively seeking "additional partnerships and collaborations."
