Aims of the Series

The goals and strategies of the startup phase of California Classical Studies include:

1. Providing a venue for new peer-reviewed basic research (editing and analysis of primary materials both textual and physical), data-heavy research, and highly specialized research of the kind that is either hard to place with the leading publishers in Classics or extremely expensive for libraries and individuals when produced by a leading academic publisher. Under this heading we have in mind especially archaeological publications, papyrological and epigraphic studies, technical textual studies, and the like. We expect works sponsored by the Nemea Center for Classical Archaeology and the Center for the Tebtunis Papyri to appear in this series, but invite submissions from others as well.
2. In emphasizing the importance of works like those just mentioned, we do not intend to exclude from consideration work in other areas, such as ancient history, ancient philosophy, commentaries on literary works, or general literary and cultural studies. Although these areas are generally still served well by the university presses, some authors may prefer the open-access model that our series will offer, and inclusion of some works of this kind may contribute to the financial sustainability of the project.
3. Promoting open access to digital materials of high quality, including the conversion to digital form of distinguished previously-published work for which the author retains or has recovered the rights (both monographic works and collections of seminal articles by a single author, including works in almost any area of classical studies).
4. Experimenting with Print On Demand and e-book versions of all works in order to assess the market and the potential for modest cost recovery.
5. Experimenting with hybrid dissemination: “book” and web-only materials, such as datasets, illustrations, plans, and maps.
6. Mastering techniques to print Greek font (and other non-Roman alphabets) and other complex typographical elements necessary to presenting the author’s arguments and data.
7. Promoting best practices (1) in editorial review and copy-editing, so that works are well-designed to meet the needs of readers and researchers through accuracy of content and provision of needed indexes, and (2) in timely and meaningful communication between the editors and production staff and the authors.
8. Emphasizing initially works by scholars of known stature, in order to establish a high profile for the series, while also beginning to meet the needs of untenured scholars.
9. Promoting changes in academic culture, as reflected in individuals and institutions, so that (1) there will be greater acceptance to digital publications in academic personnel review, and junior scholars will become more comfortable with considering a venue such as this; and (2) academic institutions, funding institutions, and authors with available research funds will come to accept, in the humanities, a prepayment model (the so-called “author-pays model” already current in the sciences and beginning to take hold in some areas of the social sciences) as a worthy solution to the challenges facing scholarly publications.