Journal publishing is often described as the end of a long editorial journey. But in practice, publication is only the start of a research article’s lifecycle. Reprints ensure that your work benefits from sustained engagement long after publication.

By offering readers a lasting and tangible piece of your work to engage with, Reprints helps your article stand out for the long-term. It makes your research more memorable for the reader and distinguishes it from similar publications in your respective field.

Reprints maintain high publication standards, ensuring your research is protected and accurately cited in future scholarly works. A physical copy of your article provides scholars with a solid foundation to expand upon and reference in their research.

Publication as the beginning of a journal article’s lifecycle

Maintaining momentum after publication is crucial to ensuring your work doesn’t fade into the background. A journal typically receives its highest visibility when it is first released, with readership naturally dwindling as new research begins to emerge.

Journals that treat publication as the first step in the post-publication process are better equipped to support long-term visibility. Reprints help to drive engagement by offering a structured way to extend the lifecycle of curated content beyond its initial release.

By circulating previously published research, Reprints help your work to be used in new contexts. Re-producing a Reprint in a printed format allows for it to be stocked in academic libraries and research institutes, encouraging readers to engage with it in new ways.

Opt‑in, books‑managed, and editorially efficient workflow

Reprints are intentionally designed to support journals without adding operational burden. They are opt‑in, fully managed by MDPI Books, and require no additional editorial workflow. As an author you also don’t have to worry about doing any extra work.  Your research will simply be repurposed without making any contextual changes.

This allows journal teams to benefit from extended visibility without diverting time or resources. The model is simple; editorial teams curate content while MDPI Books handle production, dissemination and infrastructure of the research. It is a systematic approach that benefits everyone, leaving no room for errors or miscommunication.

Where reprints fit in the scholarly ecosystem

Reprints are created directly from already published journal content. This means:

• Peer review is preserved
• Journal identity remains central
• Original DOIs stay intact
• The journal continues to serve as the source of record

Reprints add book‑level structure, operating as a cohesive volume that brings a collection of articles to new audiences and opens new discovery pathways. Additionally, Reprints ensure that researchers remain the original owners of content and receive proper accreditations when cited in future work.

Expanded discoverability through book infrastructure

One of the most significant advantages of Reprints is the opportunity for increased discoverability through book‑specific metadata. ISBNs and book‑level DOIs open doors to platforms and indexes that journal articles alone cannot access, including DOAB (Directory of Open Access Books) and OAPEN Library.

Citations continue to link back to the original materials, ensuring journals retain full credit and visibility of the research. Meanwhile, the book‑level infrastructure broadens reach by placing Reprints in the hands of readers who prefer book‑oriented content.

Open Access publishing has seen an increase in popularity in recent years, giving rise to digital formats of academic research. However, Reprints offer the best of both worlds as they provide the option for both printed and PDF versions of the article.

Editorial recognition and professional value

For Guest Editors, Reprints serve as a meaningful reflection of their editorial work. The format offers multiple benefits, including:

• A space for prefaces or framing essays
• A tangible, cohesive representation of the Special Issue
• Complimentary hard copies for professional use

This is not an added task; it is a framework provided by MDPI Books that editors can benefit from. It gives their work a lasting, citable and shareable format. This way, not only do researchers get recognition for their efforts, but so do the editorial teams.

Long‑term preservation and stability

Reprints also strengthen the preservation of journal content. They ensure that curated collections remain accessible to future researchers, librarians and institutions.

With Reprints, scholars can feel confident that their research will stand out rather than fade into the vast scholarly landscape. Each Reprint becomes a visual representation of the effort and dedication invested in the work, preserving its impact for the long-term.

Extending the journey of scholarly communication

Reprints help research travel further and remain visible for longer. By combining the authority of peer‑reviewed journal content with the discoverability of book infrastructure, they support the full lifecycle of scholarly communication.

For journals this means sustained engagement, while for editors it is a lasting record of their work. Researchers can gain broader reach, while readers are provided with another pathway to access high‑quality scholarly content.

Reprints offer a unique and dynamic infrastructure that benefits all users. To see examples of published work, Explore Over 10000 Reprints in our online library.