Launch to Open: an interview with the editors of Archiv der Mathematik

“Mathematics that speaks across fields deserves broad access.”

Managing editor Gabriele Nebe.

Why is this journal important to the field?

Archiv der Mathematik publishes short papers (usually not more than 10 pages) of broad mathematical interest. The journal values new ideas, original methods and fresh concepts, often giving priority to insight and inspiration over presenting results in their greatest possible generality. An ideal publication for Archiv der Mathematik is concise, not too technical and able to inspire readers beyond its immediate area of specialty. In this way, mathematical techniques can reach a much wider audience and help advance the subject as a whole.

Why did you decide to move the journal to EMS Press?

After more than 75 years of successful cooperation with Birkhäuser (now Springer Nature) we decided to move to EMS Press because it offers a fair model for publishing scientific papers. The scientific community should not be asked to pay for their own results but mainly for the cost of publication. In addition, EMS focuses on publishing mathematics, so their procedures are therefore better adapted to the needs of a mathematical journal. This is a clear advantage for authors, editors and readers.

Why should research in this area be openly available?

Because Archiv der Mathematik is not devoted to a single specialised field, the research it publishes should be available to mathematicians across subjects and across countries. Work of this kind can have value far beyond its original area, and should therefore be as widely available as possible.

What would it mean for the journal to publish full open access in future?

For Archiv der Mathematik, full open access would mean that high-quality mathematical research of broad interest could be read immediately and freely by anyone. This would widen the journal’s reach and make it easier for new ideas to circulate across fields, institutions and national boundaries. At the same time, it is important that such openness is achieved in a fair and sustainable way.

Why did you support the Launch to Open approach?

We supported the Launch to Open approach because it offers a transparent and sustainable way to make the journal openly available while preserving its long-term stability. It broadens access without shifting the financial burden onto authors and reflects a fairer model of scholarly publishing. In this sense, Launch to Open is well aligned with the values of the mathematical community.

What would you say to libraries considering supporting the journal?

Library support is essential to making models such as Launch to Open succeed. By supporting Archiv der Mathematik, libraries help sustain a long-established journal with a distinctive role in the mathematical community, while also showing that high-quality journals can thrive in a fairer, community-based and non-profit publishing environment. In this way, they are not only supporting one journal, but also helping to build a more responsible future for mathematical publishing.

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Continued support from libraries and institutions makes it possible for participating journals to move towards open access without charging authors. Learn more about Launch to Open and how to support the journal.