The Origin and Evolution of DPubS
Setting the Stage: The Early Days of Digital Publishing at Cornell University Library
The journey into the origins of the Digital Publishing System (DPubS) begins at the iconic Cornell University Library. The institution’s involvement in digital publishing dates back to the 1980s, when it collaborated with the Xerox Corporation and the Commission on Preservation and Access to develop a digital imaging project. The primary goal was to preserve books in fragile conditions, focusing initially on mathematics titles before expanding to cover subjects such as agricultural history, home economics, and American studies.
The Serials Crisis of the 1980s and 1990s further intensified the need for innovation in digital publishing. With journal subscription prices skyrocketing, academic libraries and institutions, including Cornell University Library, began to explore alternative methods to counter the rising costs.
Emerging Digital Initiatives
During this time, several groundbreaking projects emerged, such as Project MUSE, initiated by Johns Hopkins University Press. Initially designed to provide electronic access to titles published by the university press, Project MUSE quickly expanded its scope to include over 300 journals from 60 different publishing groups worldwide.
Inspired by the success of Project MUSE, Cornell University Library developed Project Euclid, an electronic repository of mathematics and statistics journals. This project was built using the code from NCSTRL, a distributed network of computer science technical reports at Cornell. Project Euclid offered low-cost, independent, and society journals the opportunity to benefit from inclusion in an online database without compromising their intellectual or economic independence. Launched in 2003 with the support of two grants from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Project Euclid marked a significant milestone in the evolution of digital publishing.
The Birth of DPubS: Transforming Project Euclid's Software
Project Euclid’s success generated interest in the software behind it, prompting Cornell University Library to consider developing the software for wider use. The software, eventually named DPubS, needed to be expanded to accommodate a broader range of disciplines and document formats.
In 2004, the Pennsylvania State University Libraries expressed interest in the software that developed Project Euclid, marking the beginning of the DPubS development process. The first project using the DPubS platform was the digitization of “Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies.”
Refining the Vision: Goals for DPubS
Terry Ehling, the Director of the Center for Innovative Publishing at Cornell University Library, outlined four primary goals for DPubS in 2004. These goals were to:
- Broaden the software's applicability by expanding its flexibility, including improving its ability to be used for monographs and other non-serial literature.
- Provide online editorial management services to support peer review activities.
- Further develop the administrative functionality and interface.
- Provide interoperability with institutional repository systems, specifically Fedora and DSpace.
These goals shaped the development of DPubS, ensuring that the platform was versatile, user-friendly, and adaptable to the ever-changing landscape of digital publishing.
The Launch and Evolution of DPubS
After two years of rigorous development, DPubS was launched in November 2006, thanks to a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The user interface utilized XML (Extensible Markup Language) and XSLT (eXtensible Style Sheet Language Transformations), enabling a high level of customization for the web design of DPubS-supported publications.
DPubS boasted a scalable platform for electronic publishing, rich presentation features, support for multiple business models, increased visibility and interoperability with other systems.
The platform could also handle a variety of document types including articles, essays, and book chapters, making it versatile for various publishing needs.
Global Impact and Continuous Refinement
The launch of DPubS marked the start of a new era in the world of digital publishing. As more institutions adopted the platform, DPubS became a global player in the world of digital publishing. Its range was expanded to include non-journal publications like books and conference proceedings, and its open-source nature allowed for continuous development and adaptation.
Cornell University Library, in collaboration with The Pennsylvania State University Libraries, partnered with institutions worldwide to use DPubS and provide valuable feedback. This user-centric approach allowed DPubS to continually refine its features and functionality, ensuring it remained at the forefront of digital publishing innovation.
The Legacy and Future of DPubS
As DPubS embarks on the next stage of its evolution, it continues to stand as a testament to the power of libraries in shaping the future of publishing. In an era where traditional journal publication models are being disrupted, DPubS represents the proactive efforts of libraries and university presses to address the challenges of rising journal prices and accessibility.
DPubS' potential to contain the "cycle of knowledge creation and dissemination" within the academy could have a transformative impact on academic publishing. As it encourages libraries to adopt new roles and responsibilities, DPubS continues to challenge the status quo, forever altering the landscape of scholarly communication.
In conclusion, the journey of DPubS is not just a tale of digital publishing; it's a story of resilience, adaptation, and innovation. From its humble beginnings at Cornell University Library to its present-day global impact, DPubS continues to inspire and pave the way for future advancements in the field of digital publishing.