It seems an odd name, but that’s intentional — we wanted a name that is memorable, different, and welcoming. If anything is welcoming, it’s the kitchen. It’s where we gain sustenance, socialize at parties, and set things as we come and go. It’s perhaps the most functional space in any busy home. And this is intended to be a busy space for scholarly publishers.

The Society for Scholarly Publishing allowed me to start this blog under their auspices to advance the SSP’s mission of providing timely updates and interpretation on research that publishers, librarians, authors, and other individuals involved in scholarship might want to know about.

To put it in an ordered list, the mission of the Scholarly Kitchen is to:

1. Keep SSP members and interested parties aware of new developments in
publishing
2. Point to research reports and projects
3. Interpret the significance of relevant research in a balanced way (or
occasionally in a provocative way)
4. Suggest areas that need more input by identifying gaps in knowledge
5. Translate findings from related endeavors (publishing outside STM,
online business, user trends)
6. Attract the community of STM publishers interested in these things
and give them a place to contribute

As the main author/instigator, I hope I keep you interested. I welcome your comments, suggestions, tips, and criticisms. I’ll try to be a fair moderator. I’ll try to write often, even if it’s a short amount to call your attention to something bigger.

And, you ask, who am I? My name is Kent Anderson. I’m on the Board of the SSP, and I’ve been in scholarly publishing for about 20 years now, but I still think of myself as a rebel. Someday, perhaps, I’ll get over it.

If you find research that you think would be interesting to the wider community, please email me a link and, if you have time, a sentence explaining why it grabbed your attention.

So, welcome to the Scholarly Kitchen. Get something to drink, have some crisps or crackers, and lean against a countertop. The conversation will start soon.