Mission Statement
To provide a comprehensive, free, and role-oriented reference guide that makes Open Journal Systems (OJS) accessible and immediately useful to every stakeholder — regardless of their technical background, institution, or resources.
Open Journal Systems powers thousands of peer-reviewed journals around the world, many of them run by small teams at under-resourced institutions. The official PKP documentation is thorough, but it is not always easy to navigate for newcomers, non-technical staff, or users who simply want a fast answer to a practical question.
This guide exists to bridge that gap. It does not replace official PKP documentation — it complements it. Where the official docs describe what a feature does, this guide focuses on how to use it in practice, with role-specific context, worked examples, and tips from people who run OJS journals every day.
Who We Serve
Our mission centres on the people who power OJS journals:
- New journal managers who need to get a journal live and running without months of trial and error.
- Experienced administrators who want a fast, searchable reference for edge cases and advanced configuration.
- Authors and reviewers whose interaction with OJS is infrequent but whose experience of the platform shapes their perception of the journal.
- Librarians and academic support staff who assist faculty and researchers navigating OJS workflows.
- OJS trainers and community educators who need up-to-date, reliable content they can adapt for workshops and courses.
Core Values
Every decision in how this guide is written, organised, and maintained is guided by these six values:
Accessibility
Written in plain English for every level — from a first-time journal manager to a seasoned site administrator. No jargon without explanation.
Role Focus
Every page is scoped to a specific OJS role. You read only what is relevant to you, without wading through content written for someone else.
Currency
Continuously updated to reflect OJS 3.5+ and the latest PKP releases. A living document, not a static PDF that goes stale.
Community
Open-access and open-source. Built with the community, for the community — corrections and additions are always welcome via GitHub.
Complementary
Not a replacement for official PKP documentation — a practical companion to it. Every section links back to the authoritative PKP Docs Hub.
Practicality
Real-world checklists, tips from practitioners, and worked examples — not just theory or interface descriptions.
Our Commitment
This guide is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) licence and will always be free to read, share, and adapt. We do not paywall content. We do not require registration. We do not track readers beyond standard privacy-respecting analytics.
We are committed to maintaining the guide in line with current OJS releases, incorporating community feedback, and expanding coverage as the platform grows. If you find an error, something missing, or simply want to contribute, please visit the Contact & Contribute page.