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. Confirm you are eligible

To apply for SHOx, the main editor or author of the publication must be a staff member or student affiliated with the University of Oxford. Collaborative works involving co-editors or co-authors from other institutions worldwide are welcome. 

2. Decide whether the service is a good fit

SHOx offers the major advantage of a ‘diamond’ open access model, free for both authors and readers. 

To check that the platform suits your publication’s needs in other ways, read our terms of service (PDF) and service policies (PDF).

Disclaimer: As a small team committed to sustainable growth, we are unfortunately unable to accept every title proposed to us. We publish work across all academic disciplines and subject areas, but we do not host content that discriminates against legally protected characteristics. The Bodleian Libraries therefore reserves the right to decline submissions.

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

Strategic oversight for SHOx is provided by an Advisory Board made up of representatives from various stakeholder groups: Bodleian Libraries staff, our external partners, Oxford University Press, and the journals or other publications SHOx hosts. The Advisory Board reports to the University's Library Committee. Day-to-day use of the service is managed by staff of the Office of Open Research in the Bodleian Libraries.

The Shortform Hosting at Oxford service (SHOx) is not affiliated with Oxford University Press (OUP), except that a member of OUP sits on the SHOx Advisory Board. SHOx and OUP operate independently and serve different audiences and needs, therefore complementing each other. OUP is the largest — and one of the oldest — university presses in the world. SHOx was set up in 2025 by the Bodleian Libraries, 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.