What You'll Want to Know!
The topic for the November Open Teleconference was NISO's Manuscript Exchange Common Approach (MECA) Standing Committee, which works to support and explore future requirements for NISO RP-30-2020, Manuscript Exchange Common Approach (MECA) Recommended Practice.
Working group co-chairs Tony Alves and Stephen Laverick joined NISO staff to discuss the need for MECA, how it works, and what's happening now in the regular meetings of the Standing Committee.
The MECA Recommended Practice provides a common means to easily transfer manuscripts between manuscript systems, such as those in use at publishers and preprint servers. Previously, in workflow processes such as manuscript rejection or alternate recommendation for article submission, there was no straightforward way for a manuscript to move programmatically from one publisher system to another's. Use of MECA obviates frustration for authors and reviewers who complained of wasted time and delays in enabling access to new research. The MECA open protocol supports improved publishing operations and stakeholder communication.