Directory of Open Access Journals (Review)

Abstract

DOAJ is a unique search service for fully open access (OA) (no embargo) peer-reviewed scholarly journals, featuring options to include article or journal level metadata in other library search services. DOAJ’s over 9,000 journals represents about 27% of the world’s scholarly peer-reviewed journals, up from 10% in 2007, and the article-level search encompasses about 10% of global scholarly journal article production. All academic disciplines are represented; some (notably medicine), moreso than others. With 128 countries and many languages represented, DOAJ is diverse and inclusive. DOAJ has a well-designed, clean, attractive, easy-to-use search interface. Suggestions for improvement include more reader-friendly organisation, and results-level metadata export for journals and articles. ADA compliance checking is currently in progress. DOAJ’s application form is long and complex and could benefit from streamlining. DOAJ is the premium venue for authors seeking quality open access journals to publish in. Its value for finding academic material is strong and growing. It is also a must-have for libraries. DOAJ membership for libraries, while optional, is of value to libraries for local OA promotion as well as promotion of the library through DOAJ’s popular website.