...
Continued Improvements to Search: We will continue to improve our search interfaces, and introduce new features throughout the year. For example, we plan to include full text search as part of the native search interface.
Status: In progress; full text is ongoing, search not yet start
Better Support for External Links: Users expect to be able to link to relevant source code, datasets, and other resources from their arXiv e-prints. We currently support limited linking from e-print abstracts and submission comments. We plan to release an interface that allows users to curate external links to their e-prints in a more organized fashion without requiring replacement submissions.
Status: Not started
Archiving arXiv: In order to ensure that we have a broad network of preservation strategies, in 2018 we began assessing several archival service providers with the intent to establish a third-party dark archive for our core e-print metadata and content. The dark archive will help to ensure perpetual long-term access to arXiv content in the event of a sustained outage to the arXiv.org platform. In 2019, we will begin working with one or more providers to implement this dark archive solution.
Status: In progress
Maintenance and Operational Support: A significant amount of developer effort is devoted to a range of activities that ensure that the service continues to run smoothly. Activities include (but are not limited to) to server maintenance and troubleshooting, service monitoring, analytics, internal support requests, bug fixes, and ad hoc meetings and conferences
Status: Ongoing
Moderation and User Support
Code of Conduct: We are developing a Code of Conduct, based on shared values and shared responsibility within the arXiv community. Throughout our process, we will engage with stakeholders, including staff, advisors, moderators and authors. The Code of Conduct is intended to complement arXiv’s Operating Principles as a broader set of community values.
Status: Complete https://arxiv.org/help/policies/code_of_conduct
Help Page Updates: We plan to update and organize our help pages and other reference content to improve the user’s access and experience. We will first migrate help pages to a new repository, making future updates easier, then we will then re-organize and update the site map and help search.
Status: Migration complete. Re; re-organizing pages will be is ongoing.
Planning Improvements for NG: This year we will create plans for additional updates to submission and moderation systems ahead of future NG software development in those areas. Some topics we are considering: support for various content types (proceedings, etc.), improved support for bulk and proxy submissions, explore alternatives for handling and displaying withdrawn submissions, improved workflows and communication for moderators, and update internal documentation on user account policies and identify ways to automate actions.
Status: Ongoing
Business & Governance
arXiv Strategic Vision Planning: We will develop a strategic plan to articulate arXiv's mission, vision, and values. Based on this scope, we will start creating a 5-year plan to identify priorities, new development areas, and set strategic directions to create a framework for our fundraising, collaboration, and communication processes.
Status: Initial assessment then deferred until after Executive Director is hired
arXiv vis-à-vis Scholarly Communication Ecology: arXiv is a part of the broader scientific communication ecology and needs to monitor developments in related areas (e.g., public access domains such as Plan S, implementation of standards such as DOI & Orcid, ets.) and assess implications to ensure that arXiv will continue to meet the users’ needs.
Status: In progress
Society-arXiv Collaboration Pilot: arXiv and scientific societies have a shared mission to serve the scientific community, and they hold a common interest in working together to ensure that arXiv has a sustainable future that is well positioned to create an even stronger value proposition for researchers. We will implement a pilot Society membership tier and develop an assessment process and success criteria to help us assess the outcomes.
Status: In progress; established society membership tier
Fundraising: We will strengthen and further diversify our fundraising strategies to support arXiv NG plan and align with the development of a 5-year Vision (see above), including inviting additional arXiv users (libraries, research organizations, and corporations) to become members and increase individual and corporation giving.
Status: In progress; increased members and giving; major diversification deferred until after Executive Director is hired
arXiv Labs: In 2018 we created an R&D environment in arXiv Labs to explore new arXiv features and understand technical, policy, maintenance and user support needs prior to integration with the production system. We will continue our exploration and look into identifying alternative revenue sources in support of arXiv Labs.
...