In my anthropological research in academic libraries, and in higher education generally, I have encountered a contrast between the ways that institutions approach the information systems they build and buy, and how people use those systems. Confronting the ‘mess’ of people’s everyday practice is a necessary first step towards more effectively connecting people to the...

This article discusses the role of academic libraries in the context of open access journal publishing, based on the perceived needs of the journals and/or their editors. The results show that journals affiliated to publishing houses or libraries are technically well provided for. The article also describes the launch of an Editors’ Forum.