The Rosenblum Award for Scholarly Publishing Impact was conceived through a collaborative effort among five leading organizations in the scholarly publishing community: The Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP), the Association of University Presses (AUPresses), the National Information Standards Organization (NISO), the Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP), and the International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers (STM). Spearheaded by Bill Kasdorf, the idea was developed to honor transformative contributions to the scholarly publishing ecosystem that have stood the test of time.
The initial planning began in mid-2023 with discussions on the award’s purpose, logistics, and shared responsibilities. Bruce Rosenblum was consulted during these early stages and contributed his insights before his passing in December 2023. Key principles guiding the development are ensuring the award’s collaborative nature, avoiding dominance by any single organization, and promoting consensus-driven decisions.
The planning emphasized the award’s informational mission to spotlight and preserve the history of impactful innovations in scholarly publishing. Key considerations included creating a branding and communication strategy, establishing a dedicated website, and producing videos to document award recipients’ contributions.
The governing structure for the award comprises two committees.
The Award Governance Committee is made up of the executive directors or CEOs of the five organizations, responsible for overall management:
- ALPSP: Wayne Sime, CEO
- AUPresses: Peter Berkery, Executive Director
- NISO: Todd Carpenter, Executive Director
- SSP: Melanie Dolecheck, Executive Director
- STM: Caroline Sutton, CEO
The Award Planning and Piloting Committee consists of two representatives from each of the five organizations, designated by their sponsoring organization for their deep expertise and tasked with operational planning, recipient selection, and promotion:
- ALPSP: Lou Peck and Louise Russell
- AUPresses: Charles Watkinson and Annette Windhorn
- NISO: Nettie Lagace (through mid-2024), Mary Beth Barilla (joining mid-2024), and Todd Carpenter
- SSP: Yael Fitzpatrick and Simon Holt
- STM: IJsbrand Jan Aalbersberg and Eefke Smit
Bill Kasdorf serves as neutral facilitator of both committees.
This collaborative framework ensures that the award is a balanced, inclusive, and enduring initiative, highlighting the milestones that shape scholarly communication.
For more information, please contact Bill Kasdorf.