When the Open Access (OA) Diamond Journals Study was published in 2021, one of the study’s most crucial findings was just how diverse the landscape of Diamond OA journals happens to be (Ancion et al. 2021). While this diversity is responsible for a rich publishing culture, it oftentimes goes hand in hand with challenges to build and efficiently use capacities due to a lack of infrastructure and coordination dedicated specifically to Diamond OA. Both, the CRAFT-OA and the DIAMAS project are working to provide solutions that help work through the fragmented landscape of Diamond OA publishing in the European Research Area. More specifically, the projects aim to support Diamond OA Service Providers and Diamond OA Tools & Technology Providers by helping them overcome the current fragmentation of the Diamond OA landscape in the ERA.
One central output of both projects is the Community Network for Diamond OA Service Providers and Tools & Technology Providers. Currently in development, the Community Network will be a central component of the European Diamond Capacity Hub, supported by a registry and a forum. The registry for Diamond OA Service Providers and Diamond OA Tools & Technology Providers serves as an entry point to the community network and a gateway to the service architecture of the European Diamond Capacity Hub. Registered Diamond OA Service Providers and Tools & Technology Providers can showcase their connection to the European Diamond OA infrastructure landscape by being displayed in the registry. The Forum, the interactive component of the network, allows the registered members to share experiences, exchange information, raise issues and collaboratively solve them. Lastly, the Forum will also allow members to showcase their services and other users to compare them, thus creating a dynamic and collaborative framework for the advancement of OA publishing. Ultimately, the Registry and the Forum are virtual spaces dedicated to fostering networking among Diamond OA Community Members. All Diamond OA Capacity Centers, Publishers, and Providers across Europe are invited to join the registry to become part of the Community network.
With this vision in tow, an alpha version of the Community Network will be launched during the public launch of the European Diamond Capacity Hub on the 15th of January 2025. Diamond OA Service Providers and Tools & Technology Providers will be included in the refining development process of the Community Network, thereby shaping the way the Diamond OA community in the European Research Area will interact.
CRAFT-OA is funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement no. 101094397. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.