Our Call for Volunteers is open! Serving on a committee or task force can expand your network, gain valuable leadership skills, and increase your personal and organizational visibility within the industry. Apply by Friday, June 5, for consideration for the 2026–2027 term.
We have more than 300 members who volunteer their time to support the advancement of scholarly communications by serving on committees, task forces, and the Board of Directors, writing for SSP’s blog, The Scholarly Kitchen, or mentoring our Fellows and mentees. Many of the programs SSP offers were developed and led by our enthusiastic member volunteers, including the Annual Meeting program, the new Scholarly Publishing Position Glossary, the Professional Skills Map, the Communities of Interest Network, the Early Career Development Podcast, and many others. In addition, our volunteers create regional opportunities for networking, collaboration, and professional development that help members stay engaged and motivated.
Will you be at our Annual Meeting in Chula Vista? Join us for the Get Involved Volunteer Fair on Thursday, May 28. Come meet with committee chairs to learn more about what opportunities exist and how you can get involved.
Below, you will find information about SSP’s active committees and task forces. Our general volunteer recruitment window is from May to June. The president approves all committee (one-year term, renewable) and task force (variable term) appointments. Committees operate primarily from August to June; volunteers are expected to attend monthly meetings and participate in working groups as assigned.
Log in to the SSP Member Center to review a detailed description of each committee’s charge in the SSP Organizational Guide.
Apply by Friday, June 5, for consideration for the 2026–2027 term.
Please note that you must be an SSP member to participate in a committee or task force. Membership status is determined at the time of application; non-members may be invited to join a committee provisionally.
Committee and Task Force Directory
View the list of active committees and task forces below. Click on any committee’s name to learn more about their work. When you find a committee or two you’d like to apply for, click the volunteer application link to fill out the SSP Committee Volunteer Form.
Annual Meeting Program Committee
The Annual Meeting Program Committee selects the theme for the Annual Meeting and determines topics for the keynote, plenary, concurrent sessions, and pre-meeting activities. Members recruit speakers, provide guidance on expectations, and work with staff and other SSP groups to plan the schedule and promote the meetings.
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee oversees the audit process and advises the Board of Directors about the audit and any findings.
Career Development Committee
The Career Development Committee plans and manages professional development activities, including mentorship, professional profiles, the wage and compensation benchmarking study, and the student and early career Fellowship program.
Early Career Subcommittee
The Early Career Subcommittee focuses on activities designed to promote and engage students and early-career professionals in the publishing and information industry.
Community Engagement Committee
The Community Engagement Committee brings SSP members together for peer-to-peer interaction among groups with similar interests or geographical locations.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Committee
The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Committee is responsible for providing members with education and resources on diversity and inclusion in their workplaces and offering guidance to SSP volunteers on how to model diversity, inclusion, and accessibility practices in their work on behalf of the organization.
Global Perspectives Subcommittee
The Global Perspectives Subcommittee includes members from multiple continents. The objectives of the GPSC are to identify global perspectives that are absent or underrepresented in SSP and understand the reasons for this, as well as to propose a set of recommendations outlining how SSP can engage more effectively with the global community.
Education Committee
The Education Committee plans and conducts educational seminars, webinars, and more. Members work with staff and other committees to promote the sessions.
EPIC Awards Committee
The EPIC Awards Committee develops an annual awards program to recognize excellence in various categories of scholarly communication.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee oversees SSP’s budget and financial operations.
Marketing & Communications Committee
The Marketing Committee coordinates and conducts marketing outreach for SSP activities, including the Annual Meeting and educational seminars. Members prepare copy and work with designers on advertisements, brochures, flyers, listserv announcements, email announcements, and more.
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee monitors SSP’s membership health, promotes and develops new memberships, and advises the Board of Directors on matters concerning benefits for all classes of membership.
Nominating and Awards Committee
The Nominating and Awards Committee’s primary responsibility is to identify candidates for each open officer and Board position to be elected in the coming year. The Nominating and Awards Committee is not accepting new volunteers at this time.
Scholarly Kitchen Cabinet
The Scholarly Kitchen Cabinet is the governing body for The Scholarly Kitchen (TSK). Its responsibilities include settling governance issues, appointing the editor, reporting on TSK metrics and development to the Board of Directors, and making recommendations to the SSP Executive Committee regarding new opportunities for TSK.
Training Committee
The Training Committee supports the goal of making SSP a home for scholarly communications professionals at every career stage by developing new content and programming to expand the range and diversity of resources available to SSP members and the broader community.
