Hybrid Journals in

Mathematics
Can They Be
Successful?
Mathematical Sciences
Publishers
G & T Publications, 1996-2005
Online was free to individuals, libraries
were asked to pay $80/year
Paper volumes were published at cost of
$7/page, sold at $.10/page plus shipping
Editing by professional mathematicians—
free
Low cost/high quality competition to
expensive titles
 MSP, 2005-
Geometry and Topology
Algebraic and Geometric Topology
G&T Monographs
Pacific Journal of Mathematics (as
publisher only)
 MSP Ideals
High quality content and presentation
Low Cost Non-Profit
Managed and produced by and for
professional mathematicians
Publish good mathematics efficiently
at minimal cost
Offer access to individuals free
 Librarians Advisory Committee

Kris Fowler—U Minnesota

Terry Ehling—Project Euclid
Carol Hutchins--NYU
Brian Quigley—UC Berkeley
Steve Rockey—Cornell
Martha Tucker—U Washington
Molly White—U Texas Austin
 Obstacles
Switching from free to subscription-some
librarians perceived as failure….
Keeping subscription costs low/article and
print quality high
Hard to sell to libraries on honor system
when access is open
Little money available for new journals
Package deals with commercial publishers
limit library flexibility
 Librarian Advice
High quality is good--charge to cover
costs in order to become sustainable
low cost journal
You can’t be free and charge at the
same time
Offer a published subscription
version, and either an embargoed
version or arXiv version
 Startup Problems
Subscription management
Consortia arrangements
Initial lack of license agreement
covering ILL, usage stats, perpetual
access
IP management, archiving,
preservation
Employee and administration costs
 Problems
Has been difficult getting libraries to
subscribe when was previously free
CISTI giving access to all Canadian
libraries on one subscription
Desire to provide open access to
individuals too confusing
Articles now under 2-3 year embargo
More subscriptions needed to support
MSP efforts
 Journal Value
Geometry and Topology #10 on
impact factor list (Math, ISI 2006)
Leading journal in its field currently
G & T has 3 Fields medallists on
editorial board
Algebraic and Geometric Topology
tracked by ISI—92 citations to 2005 &
2006 articles
 New MSP Journals
Algebra & Number Theory
Communications in Applied
Mathematics and Computational
Science (CAMCoS)
Journal of Mechanics of Materials and
Structures (publish only) JoMMS--
editors moved from $7000/yr journal
to MSP, $400/1500 pgs/2006
 2007 Subscription Prices
G&T--$240/yr./electronic
AGT--$160/yr./electronic
G&T and AGT 5000+ pgs/2006

Pacific Journal of Mathematics

$450/2400 pgs/2006 p+e
 MSP Math Package
Algebra & Number Theory
Algebraic & Geometric Topology
CAMcos
Geometry & Topology

$500/electronic
$800/ paper + electronic
 Additional Activities
WFT—work flow tool, MSP
manuscript metadata management
software, other nonprofits considering
E-book perhaps
Another journal
Applying for tax-exempt status
 References
Birman, Joan S. Forum: Scientific Publishing:
A Mathematician’s Viewpoint. Notices AMS, 47
(August 2000), no. 7, 770-774.

Jackson, Allyn. The slow revolution of the free

electronic journal. Notices AMS, 47 (2000), no.
9, 1053-1059.

Jackson, Allyn. Jumping Ship: Topology Board

Resigns. Notices AMS, 54 (May 2007), no. 5,
637-639.
Presented by Martha Tucker [mtucker@uw.edu], June 2007. Special Libraries Association, Physics, Astronomy,
and Mathematics Division. Math Workshop. Denver, CO.