Open Library of Humanities

The Lower Decks 2.0: A Symposium on Janeway and Open Access Publishing

Posted by Andy Byers, Joan Kwaske & Alex Kouker on 25 September 2025

Theme: Users and Community

Location: Dublin City University Library, Glasnevin Campus, Dublin, & hybrid streaming online

Dates: 21st – 22nd May 2026

Cost: Free

Sign-up to attend

Janeway is an open-source scholarly publishing platform that has become the software of choice for editors, librarians, and publishers at universities worldwide. Our inaugural 2023 symposium celebrated the Janeway team’s tenth anniversary; our second event will broaden this scope to explore how users and community inform Janeway’s development.

In keeping with this collaborative spirit this event will be co-organised by three institutions: The Open Library of Humanities, Michigan Publishing Services, and Dublin City University Library. We will come together in the historic city of Dublin to explore how real, idiosyncratic scholarly communities helped establish the platform and continue to shape its direction. Presentations will address the themes of users and user experience as well as updates, innovations, and use cases from across different institutions using Janeway.

We are calling on members of the Janeway, OLH, and open access communities to submit short abstracts for presentations, round tables, posters, or workshops.

Suggested topics can include (but are not limited to):

  • Innovative uses of Janeway
  • Community governance
  • Flipping process/activism from Janeway users
  • Human-centred software development and UX
  • Accessibility
  • Perspectives on workflow
  • Perspectives on scholar-led publishing
  • Equity in open access publishing
  • Open data, open software, and open licences in research publications and dissemination

Confirmed keynote: Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Interim Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies and Professor of English at Michigan State University

Please send abstracts of 250 words or questions to Andy Byers (Director of Publishing Technology) at a.byers@bbk.ac.uk and Joan Kwaske (Senior Digital Publishing Coordinator) at jkwaske@umich.edu. Please submit abstracts by the 9th of January 2026.