Open Hosting Service | SCURL Members

• General
  • We provide ongoing technical support and are on hand to fix bugs and answer all system-related queries at any point. We have a 1 FTE expert dedicated to the service, along with our own service, Edinburgh Diamond.
• Servers & Storage
  • A hosted service for OJS and OMP utilising a managed Linux Virtual Machine, for running production and test services.   
  • Two (2) application servers: production and test servers for each OJS/OMP installation. The test environment will consist of an individual installation per partner of OJS/OMP on an individual server.
  • All servers mentioned above are Virtual Machines running CentOS.
  • The service includes configuration of one URL for each OJS/OMP instance. There will be an additional charge for mapping existing URLs to new ones, charged at day rate (minimum ½ day).
• Backup & Recovery
  • We run regular back-up of the OJS/OMP installations and their databases nightly.
  • Data backup of virtual machines can be provided using Veeam disk-based block-level backup software. This copies block-level changes to remotely held storage nightly
  • Additionally a SQL dump is taken daily.
• Third-Line Support
  • When your 1st and 2nd line cannot resolve an issue, OR when five (5) or more end-users (academics/students etc) experience a common issue, OR Application errors, OR there is complete non access THEN you should contact us.
  • Site monitored 9-5pm, Mon-Fri.
• Key Maintenance & Upgrades
  • Key maintenance of OJS/OMP, as well as upgrades, are included. Additional technical support available, charged at day rate (minimum ½ day).
• Migrations
  • If you have archived content, we can migrate it over to OJS/OMP site, no matter where it was hosted before.   
• Service Levels
  • Excluding planned outages for key maintenance and upgrades etc., after the implementation & stabilization period, system availability is targeted to be circa 99% pa. We will make best endeavours to provide you with reasonable notice of any planned outages.
• Custom Theme
  • Choice limited to existing custom themes. Additional customisation is available and charged at day rate (minimum ½ day). 

• OJS & OMP | The Library uses Open Journal Systems (OJS) and Open Monograph Press (OMP) – open source, web-based platforms built for managing and publishing academic journals and books online. We will set you up with your own installation of OJS/OMP, which includes:
  • Your own website
  • As many web pages as you need (e.g. submissions, announcements, policies, about etc)
  • A publishing workflow management system
  • A place to publish your books/journal(s)
• Website set up | We will support you at all stages of setting up your publishing initiative, including the initial configuration of your website and basic customisation of the user interface.
• Website design | We will work closely with you to create a website design that reflects your brand, including colours, logos, fonts and feel. Future basic website updates will be your responsibility, but we will be on hand for major changes.
• Content migrations | We will help migrate back content to your new platform.

• OJS & OMP | The Library uses Open Journal Systems (OJS) and Open Monograph Press (OMP) – open source, web-based platforms built for managing and publishing academic journals and books online. Both OJS and OMP can be used either to manage the full publishing workflow – including submissions and peer review – or just for publishing online. Using OJS and OMP requires minimal technical expertise and full training and guidance will be given.
• Workflow | We will work with you to help understand how you can best use these systems for your publication model of choice.
• Plugins | We can enable relevant plugins where possible, including Crossref, DOAJ, PubMed, and ORCID integration. 

• We are on hand to provide guidance about industry developments and good practice advice on academic publishing issues (although it is down to you to take ownership and implement these yourself). Topics include:
  • Using OJS/OMP
  • Being a journal editor
  • Managing the publication process
  • Managing peer review
  • Writing policies, including on peer review, digital preservation, Open Access, licensing and publication ethics
  • Creative commons licenses
  • Copyright and permissions
  • Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs)
  • Copyediting and production
  • Indexing
  • Promotion and outreach
  • Metrics and reporting

• All partners are expected to remain the initial contact point for queries, fault logging etc. for all of their authors, editors, staff and students.
• Edinburgh University Library staff should only be contacted on issues that partners are unable to resolve themselves in-house.

• All partners are expected to source and manage their own ISSNs and ISBNs.  
• All partners are expected to source their own DOI providers and manage the allocation and payment of their own DOIs. 

• Partners are responsible for managing the editorial, marketing, production, rights, and legal processes for their publishing initiative (whether through coordinating it themselves or training their authors/editors on coordinating it).
• Partners are also responsible for making basic website updates, e.g. adding new editorial board members or adding a new user to OJS.

• We will give you workflow training on using OJS/OMP, and show you how to provide training for your users. It is then up to you to provide that training to your users as and when needed.
• There are excellent guides provided by PKP. See our Resources page.

The service does not include the following services:

• Copyediting
• Proofreading
• Typesetting
• Printed versions, including hardbacks and paperbacks