Arabesques n°108

French university libraries have been involved in the development of open-access scientific journal incubators for some ten years, and are now a major player in the public scientific publishing ecosystem. Initially focused on hosting and distributing journals, this new mission has gradually been enriched by services such as training, legal support and referencing.

The professionals in charge of these incubators have had to acquire new skills and become acculturated to the publishing business. As the articles in this dossier demonstrate, collaborative work, particularly within the Repères network of 16 incubators, and with professional publishing networks such as Médici, is a major factor in the development and professionalization of the platforms supported by university libraries.

Thanks to these fruitful exchanges, a professional culture common to several professions is emerging, and perhaps even a new profession: that of librarian-publisher, as mentioned by the Prairial team.

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