As 2023 marks the conclusion of PKP’s twenty-fifth year, it provides the opportunity for some brief reflections on the project’s beginnings and its evolution over the past quarter-century. From the early stages of seeking startup grants for the creation of open source software to the use of OJS today by over 30,000 journals around the world, the journey has been quite remarkable.
Originating as a small research project founded by Dr. John Willinsky, PKP received its initial grant from Pacific Press in 1998. More grants followed, but in 2007, a pivotal partnership with Érudit at the University of Montreal was formed, supported by the first Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) grant. In 2023, PKP has again experienced tremendous backing from funders, such as CFI, the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN), the Social Science and Humanities Research Council, and ORCID, and has strengthened its partnership with Érudit through the Coalition Publica project.
In 2002, just a few years into existence, PKP introduced the inaugural version of Open Journal Systems (OJS), its flagship open-source editorial management software. Fast forward to 2023, and version 3.4 has been released, responding to the evolving needs of the user community.
In 2004, PKP launched the Community Forum, a free online question and answer tool to support new users of OJS. By 2023, this free community support has expanded to include a modern version of the forum, as well as the Documentation Hub, PKP School, regular webinars, and other community education events and learning opportunities.
In 2011, PKP received its first community financial contributions. By 2023, the contribution model underwent renewal, and received even greater funding from our members, providing a critical revenue source for enhancing our software.
PKP Publishing Services, established in 2006 with the aim of generating revenue for investment in software development, has exceeded all expectations. By 2023, PKP PS contributed over half of the total operating budget for the project.
Finally, the PKP community gathered together for the first time in Vancouver, Canada in 2007. Jump ahead to 2023, and PKP community sprints have expanded globally, with events in Denmark, Germany, and Brazil, exemplifying the project’s widespread impact and engagement.
Although the vision from 1998 remains the same, to develop free, open source software to contribute to a diverse, decentralized, scholar-led, multilingual publishing ecosystem, the pace of growth was unimaginable at the time. Looking back on all of these activities, I am incredibly optimistic about what the next 25 years will bring!
PKP Through the Years
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