SHOx: Shortform Hosting at Oxford

Shortform Hosting at Oxford (SHOx) is a service for hosting open access publications managed by University of Oxford staff and students.

This service is available to publications affiliated with the University. Works are made available on SHOx under a ‘diamond’ open access model: they are free to publish and to read. The platform can be used for a variety of shortform publication types, including peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, reports and working papers.  

SHOx is managed by the Bodleian Libraries. It uses the open-source platform Open Journal Systems to support the entire publishing workflow, including submission, peer review and online publication.  

Browse current titles in SHOx 

How to sign up for SHOx

1. Check your eligibility

To be considered for SHOx, the main editor or author of the publication must be affiliated with the University of Oxford, as an academic, researcher, professional staff member or student. We accept works that are co-edited or co-authored with people from other institutions globally. 

2. Decide if the service is right for you 

If you're looking to disseminate your work via a ‘diamond’ open access model (free to publish and free to read), SHOx could be the right home for you!

Read our terms of service (PDF) and service policies (PDF) to check that the platform is a good fit for your publication. This will help you know what to expect if the SHOx team accept your proposal. 

Disclaimer: We publish content in all disciplines and subject areas of scholarship. However, we will not host content that discriminates against characteristics protected by law. The Bodleian Libraries reserves the right to refuse content. We are a small team and need to ensure we grow sustainably. This means we unfortunately cannot take on every title proposed to us.

3. Get in touch

If you have an idea or want to arrange an informal chat with the SHOx team, please complete our brief online form and we will get back to you.

4. Submit your proposal 

If you have a pre-existing publication or a full proposal for a new title to submit, please complete our application form.

Our project team will carry out an initial review of your proposal and aim to follow up with you within 10 working days to inform you of the result and clarify any information. Your request will then be referred to the SHOx Advisory Board for approval. 

Contact us

Reach out to the SHOx project team: 

  shox@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

Governance and relationship with Oxford University Press

SHOx is governed by a Service Board comprising Bodleian Libraries staff, editorial representatives from both academic and student-led journals, a representative from Oxford University Press and representatives from our external partners. The board meets twice a year and ensures the service develops in line with the University's strategic objectives as well as user requirements. The Service Board reports to the University's Library Committee. 

Oxford University Press (OUP) and the Shortform Hosting at Oxford service (SHOx) are separate entities which serve different audiences and needs. OUP is the largest — and one of the oldest — university presses in the world. SHOx was set up in 2025, is library-led, and offers hosting services to staff and students at the University of Oxford who wish to make ‘diamond’ open access journals and shortform research outputs available online. OUP and SHOx therefore complement each other, providing researchers with alternative methods of sharing content. A member of OUP sits on the SHOx Advisory Board.