How will PLoS affect journals published by scientific societies?
Some of the most important scientific and medical literature is published by scholarly societies and associations. In many cases, the societies publish the journals according to the traditional subscription-based model, and with the publishing revenue, they can provide support and services for their members, their communities, and the general public. However, it is our belief that this type of publishing, relative to open access publishing, hinders the progress of science and medicine and reduces the benefits of research to the public. By switching to open access publishing, a scientific society has the opportunity to do an even greater good. There would be risks associated with such a change, both to income and possibly to membership, but societies that grasp this opportunity will be demonstrating a fundamental commitment to the public good – a powerful message for their membership.
Some of the most important scientific and medical literature is published by scholarly societies and associations. In many cases, the societies publish the journals according to the traditional subscription-based model, and with the publishing revenue, they can provide support and services for their members, their communities, and the general public. However, it is our belief that this type of publishing, relative to open access publishing, hinders the progress of science and medicine and reduces the benefits of research to the public. By switching to open access publishing, a scientific society has the opportunity to do an even greater good. There would be risks associated with such a change, both to income and possibly to membership, but societies that grasp this opportunity will be demonstrating a fundamental commitment to the public good – a powerful message for their membership. Even though PLoS might launch journals in areas that could overlap with existing society journals, our
