From users' perspective, arXiv continues to be a successful, prominent subject repository system serving the needs of many scientists around the world. However, under the hood, the service is facing significant pressures. The conclusion of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) and the Member Advisory Board (MAB) 2015 annual meetings was that, in addition to the current business model with a focus on maintenance, the arXiv team needs to embark on a significant fund raising effort, pursuing grants and collaborations. We need to first create a compelling and coherent vision to be able to persuasively articulate our fund raising goals beyond the current sustainability plan that aims to support the baseline operation. We’d like to use the approaching 25th anniversary of arXiv as an important milestone to engage us in a series of vision-setting exercises.

Strategy and Timeline for Vision Setting and Fund Raising

November-December 2015:

• Identify a number of areas to be considered for a vision setting process and create a survey instrument - COMPLETED
• Conduct a SAB/MAB survey to poll their opinions on future directions and priorities (Vision Setting Survey) - COMPLETED
• Start the user survey planning process - COMPLETED
• Hire a part-time person (or assign this role to an existing staff) to work with us in coordinating the planning activities - COMPLETED

January-February 2016:

• Analyze and report findings of the vision setting exercise
• Start the 2016 annual fund raising campaign with the goal of increasing annual contributions (arXiv MAB subgroup will come up with recommendations to increase annual membership revenue through a platinum membership model)
• Plan and test a user survey based on the initial findings of the vision-setting exercise, taking into consideration different segments: users as readers, users as submitter, users as moderators
• Receive recommendations from the MAB IT subgroup about the goals and desired outcomes of a workshop with repository experts to consider arXiv's current infrastructure and workflows & put in place a plan for hosting a workshop

March-April 2016:

• Conduct the user survey
• Host IT external experts/consultants to advise us on future directions. GOAL:The arXiv team is undertaking a series of surveys and workshops to help us create a cohesive vision for the future of arXiv. The purpose of the technical infrastructure workshop is to brainstorm and refine a set of possible technology options for the re-implementation of all or parts of arXiv, and to provide a solid foundation for additional development. The outputs of the workshop will be used to develop a technology plan for arXiv that will allow it to support existing functionality, and for the development of new functionality that aligns with the vision. Any new software will be openly developed using modern languages, testing practices, and frameworks to lower development and maintenance costs. The software will be modular and designed for reuse by the community. Infrastructure improvements will also help underpin efforts to enhance the usability of arXiv. The interface will be improved based on sound user-centered design principles and guidelines, and will increase ease of use, accessibility compliance and responsiveness. Together, the vision and technology plan will be used to seek major funding for implementation over the next next few years.
• Consider submitting an NSF workshop proposal (based on finding thus far that need to be further explored)
• Repeat the online fund raising campaign (Give button) based on the findings of the pilot conducted in September 2015
• Continue to identify funding sources, make initial contacts

May 2016-June 2016

• Hold a planning meeting with a small group (10-12) of colleagues representing scientists, librarians, publishers/societies, foundations, federal agencies to discuss our preliminary findings and discuss the future of arXiv and the evolving nature of scientific communication
• Analyze findings from the vision setting process, user study, and the hosted meetings - prepare proposals and white papers for consideration
• Develop scenarios, work plans, etc.
• Plan an August workshop (in conjunction with MAB/SAB annual meeting)

August -September 2016

• 25th anniversary workshop to discuss the future of arXiv based on proposals that will be shared in advance to engage different stakeholders in a conversation about arXiv's future

October-November 2016

• Vision - grant writing and creating work plans (our hope is that by then through the planning activities during the last several months, we'll already have ideas for funding sources and even might have done some initial work)