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UNE Read and Publish Journal Tool
Overview
Developed a comprehensive Excel-based solution for the University of New England (UNE) to help researchers identify eligible journals under various Read and Publish agreements. This tool consolidates data from multiple sources and provides an easy-to-use interface for researchers to determine which publishing agreements apply to specific journals.
The final solution is used on the official UNE website, where researchers can download the tool to check journal eligibility for their publishing needs. It transforms a complex data management challenge into an accessible, user-friendly resource.
Challenge
UNE faced significant challenges in helping researchers navigate publishing options:
Data about eligible journals was scattered across multiple sources with no unified system
Information from the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL), Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA), and Scimago Journal Rankings needed integration
Regular updates were required as publisher agreements changed and new journals were added
Researchers needed simple access to determine journal eligibility for publishing agreements
The solution needed to be maintainable by UNE library staff without specialized technical knowledge
Approach
I implemented a comprehensive solution using PowerQuery and Excel:
Created an automated data processing system that pulls from multiple data sources:
CAUL Read & Publish Agreements (.xlsx format)
ERA Submission Journal List (.xlsx format)
Scimago Journal Rankings (.csv format)
Developed a file monitoring system to automatically detect the latest data files
Implemented robust data cleaning and transformation processes to handle inconsistencies
Created a consolidated database with proper relationships between data sources
Built an automated document generation system that creates a clean, user-friendly Excel file
Designed detailed documentation for UNE staff to maintain the system
Demo
The Read and Publish Journal Tool helps UNE researchers easily determine if a journal is covered by an existing agreement:
System Workflow
Users download the tool from the UNE website
They open the Excel file and check the "Read me tips" tab first
They use the search or filter functionality to find specific journals
The tool displays eligibility status for various publishing agreements
Researchers can make informed decisions about where to publish
Maintenance Workflow
UNE staff place updated data files in the appropriate folders
They open the Database tool and click "Generate New Document"
The system automatically processes all data and creates a new Excel file
The new file is uploaded to the UNE website for researchers to access
Outcomes
Key Achievements
Successfully implemented on the official UNE website for campus-wide use
Consolidated over 30,000 journal entries from multiple publishers
Reduced data update process from days to minutes
Eliminated manual cross-referencing errors
Created a maintainable solution with comprehensive documentation
Provided researchers with clear guidance on eligible publishing options
Value Delivered
This tool has transformed how UNE researchers approach journal selection and publishing decisions. It has helped scholars maximize institutional resources by identifying opportunities to publish in open access journals at no additional cost through the university's existing agreements.
The automation has also freed up significant staff time that was previously spent manually updating and cross-referencing journal lists, allowing library staff to focus on providing direct support to researchers.
