By Gali Halevi (CLOCKSS) and Fred Atherden (eLife)
Several years ago eLife stepped away from the traditional accept-or-reject publication model and introduced a fresh new approach: publish-review-curate (PRC). Now, in another step forward for open science, eLife has partnered with CLOCKSS to ensure that every stage of its publishing process—from first submission to the final Version of Record—is preserved for the long term.
eLife’s model makes the review process more transparent. Once a manuscript is selected for review, eLife commits to publishing it as a Reviewed Preprint following peer review. A Reviewed Preprint includes the article, feedback from the reviewers, a response from the author (if available), and an eLife Assessment that summarizes the significance of the findings being reported and the strength of the evidence. Authors can then choose how to revise their work and, at any point following peer review, publish a Version of Record. Crucially, they retain control over if, when, and how this happens.
Since the launch of its PRC model, eLife has received over 13,000 submissions from researchers across more than 50 countries. Of those, over 3,500 have become Reviewed Preprints, and more than half have gone on to be published as a Version of Record. Nearly 40% of these revised articles strengthened their scientific claims through the transparent review process. In other words, the model works—not only for speed and openness, but for scientific rigor.
CLOCKSS has been archiving eLife Versions of Record since 2014. Now, with CLOCKSS stepping in to preserve all Reviewed Preprints and any revisions that follow, these become part of the permanent scholarly record. CLOCKSS ensures long-term preservation and access to eLife research articles by storing them in a decentralized, secure network of libraries. This includes the full arc of each article: peer reviews, revisions, and final versions by adding new versions of the articles as they are published. It’s a move that not only reinforces the integrity of open scholarship but also anchors it in a reliable, secure archive.
eLife’s innovative model has redefined transparency and trust in scientific publishing. Now, with CLOCKSS, this model gains long-term permanence and resilience. By archiving not only the initial manuscripts but also their peer reviews, author replies, and revisions, CLOCKSS ensures that the full scholarly journey of each article is maintained as part of the permanent scholarly record.
This collaboration strengthens the foundation of open science. It guarantees that rich, layered records of scientific discourse remain freely accessible and reliably citable for generations to come. By anchoring open peer review within a secure, decentralized preservation network, the partnership safeguards the integrity and continuity of this innovative model of publishing. It also sets a precedent for others seeking to preserve not only static publications, but the fuller context and dialogue that shape modern research.
As more journals and funders increase transparency, the eLife model offers a clear blueprint. And thanks to CLOCKSS, it’s a model built not just for today, but for the long term.
About CLOCKSS: CLOCKSS is a not-for-profit joint venture between libraries and publishers committed to ensuring long-term digital preservation of scholarly content. It operates as a "dark archive," meaning content is preserved but only made accessible if it disappears from the web or becomes otherwise unavailable. These guarantees continued access to vital academic materials even in cases of publisher failure or content removal. Learn more at the CLOCKSS website.
