The Open Access Journals Toolkit has expanded its linguistic reach and editorial team, marking a new phase of growth in supporting scholarly publishing worldwide. Initially launched in June 2023 in English and French by DOAJ, OASPA, and an independent editorial board, the Toolkit now includes Arabic, Portuguese, and Spanish translations, further broadening its accessibility. The initiative remains dedicated to providing independent, open, and multilingual resources for individuals and organisations engaged in journal publishing. Its core objective is to promote best practices in launching and managing scholarly journals, ensuring that content remains open and relevant to a global audience.
From its inception, the Toolkit was envisioned as a collaborative effort, with an international Editorial Board overseeing content development and peer review. This Board is tasked with maintaining the quality and relevance of materials, which has included periodic reviews, updates, and the creation of new resources. Contributions from organisations such as Scielo Brazil and Scielo Mexico have facilitated the Portuguese and Spanish translations, while Knowledge E and Mahmoud Khalifa have supported the Arabic version, collectively ensuring the Toolkit’s accessibility to a wider global audience.
Since the launch, the Toolkit has seen steady growth in usage. Usage data indicates substantial engagement, with thousands of unique visitors and a preference among readers for the PDF format, particularly in English and French. The Arabic version, launched in August 2024, initially required significant revision before being publicised; it is now expected to gain traction.
Popular sections of the Toolkit have emerged in both English and French, including guidance on indexing, journal management, staffing, and metadata, underscoring the demand for practical resources in the publishing community. The ongoing dialogue with users has also revealed areas where new content is needed, prompting the development of additional sections that address administrative and legal aspects, long-term digital archiving, and accessibility. An updated version of the Toolkit is slated for release later this year, with plans to incorporate new sections on topics such as AI, plagiarism policies, preprints, version control, and journal hosting platforms as part of a broader 2026 update.
The editorial board, composed of professionals from eight countries and twelve organisations, remains a cornerstone of the Toolkit’s integrity. With each member overseeing specific sections and peer-reviewing others, the board brings a diverse and global perspective to the resource.
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