Libraries as Publishers

Objective: The library wanted to take an active role in encouraging dialogue between healthcare professionals and people living with diabetes. Recognizing that patients need access to high quality research, and their providers need a greater understanding of the practical day to day experiences of living with diabetes, the library published a peer-reviewed, open access journal designed to appeal to both groups. Methods: In order to undertake the process of publishing an online journal, the library partnered with the College of Medicine’s Office of Instructional Design. Library staff developed the scope, managed the editing and review process, obtained an ISSN for the journal, assigned DOIs to articles, and developed policies and procedures. Instructional design staff assisted with the customization of open source publishing software, developed branding for the journal, and assisted with the final layout and copyediting of the journal articles. The articles published center around particular diabetes-related themes, as will future issues of the journal. Because the goal of the journal was to create meaningful exchange between healthcare providers and individuals living with diabetes, we included a mix of research articles written by academics and personal perspective pieces written by patients, families, and members of their support networks. Results: The journal created meaningful conversation between the research, clinical, and science sides of diabetes, and the practical day-to-day living with diabetes. Conclusions: Conversations that have previously existed in social networks and informal patient communities are beginning to find representation in academic literature and benefiting from interdisciplinary consideration and peer review.