Open Access Monographs

Trailblazers: An exciting new OA initiative in partnership with Lancaster University, University of Liverpool, and Liverpool University Press

Trailblazers is a new open access initiative for the rising stars of their disciplines. Built on collaboration and knowledge-sharing between the libraries of Lancaster University, University of Liverpool, University of Salford, and the distinguished publisher Liverpool University Press, Trailblazers combines OA publication, to maximise the opportunity for impact from early career research, with a series of author boot camps, which will equip Early Career Researchers with the knowledge and skills to support the publication of their work throughout their careers.

Selected Early Career Researchers will experience a transparent publication process, undergoing proposal and manuscript peer review, editorial guidance from senior commissioning editors, as well as professional copy-editing, typesetting, and marketing, concluding in the publication of an open access edition of their work. A series of masterclasses by publishing and library professionals will cover everything from how to write a proposal and turn a dissertation into a book, right through to how to index and what alt-text means, plus invaluable guidance on marketing, library collection management, research metrics, and how an open access monograph will benefit your research career.

By sharing knowledge from the publisher and library perspectives, the trailblazing Early Career Researchers selected for this programme will have a unique opportunity to truly understand the publishing process, while at the same time reaching the widest possible audience for their work.

The scheme is open for expressions of interest from University of Salford PGRs and Early Career Researchers (ECRs) of any discipline who meet the following eligibility criteria:

• This is your first long form publication as a solo author.
• You do not have to comply with the UKRI’s Open Access Policy for book and monograph publishing.
• You are a PGR or meet the UKRI definition of an ECR as someone who is either:
• Within eight years of their PhD award (this is from the time of the PhD ‘viva’ oral test), or equivalent professional training
• Within six years of their first academic appointment (the first full or part time paid employment contract that lists research or teaching as the primary function)
• These periods exclude any career break, for example due to family care, health reasons, reasons related to COVID-19 (such as home schooling or increased teaching load)

To be considered for this opportunity please complete this trailblazers form by 30 April 2024. Submissions will be reviewed by your School, and you will be notified if you are to be put forward for the scheme by the end of May 2024. We aim to select one book for each School. Please contact the Library on library-research@Salford.ac.uk for more information.