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The January 2008 issue of Learned Publishing is now online. It is full of both practical and thought-provoking articles, with much of particular interest to learned society publishers, and articles covering such wide-ranging topics as books, data, innovation, usage statistics and references. The Editorial (http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X248383) raises the question of what constitutes 'quality' in journals publishing - not just the content, but also the publishing process. Two well-regarded consultants give sound advice to learned societies. Mary Waltham (http://dx.doi.org/ <http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X247294> 10.1087/095315108X247294) shares her experience of what society and association members really want, and how to ensure that membership remains a 'must-have', while Mark Ware (http://dx.doi.org/ <http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X248329> 10.1087/095315108X248329) explains exactly how to choose a publishing partner (information which will be equally valuable to would-be partners!). In the arts, humanities and social sciences, books are more important than journals; Robin Derricourt (http://dx.doi.org/ <http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X248356> 10.1087/095315108X248356), Managing Director of the University of New South Wales Press, puts forward a novel proposal for subsidising scholarly books in Australia, which could be equally workable elsewhere. And we return to the humanities and social sciences when LP's former Editor-in-Chief, Robert Welham (http://dx.doi.org/ <http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X254502> 10.1087/095315108X254502), reviews the British Academy's report on the challenges of Peer Review in those fields. Data is another important topic in this issue. Professor Christine Borgman (http://dx/doi.org/10.1087/095315108X254476) of UCLA discusses the role of data both in different disciplines, and in scholarly publishing itself. And three authors from the International Union of Crystallography, Peter Strickland, Brian McMahon and John Helliwell (http://dx.doi.org/ <http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X248347> 10.1087/095315108X248347) describe how a standard format has been developed for data in one particular discipline, and how this is integrated with journal publishing - lessons here, perhaps, for other fields? Innovation is another theme. Consultant and former publisher Dan Penny (http://dx.doi.org/ <http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X247258> 10.1087/095315108X247258) looks at what the exciting range of new and developing technological developments may hold for publishing. And Vanessa Lafaye (http://dx.doi.org/ <http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X248365> 10.1087/095315108X248365) describes how Blackwell went about developing a very specific innovation, the Compass series of journals, with lessons for all who want to make innovation part of their culture. Our customers - libraries - are not neglected either. Librarians Professor Gayle Baker and Eleanor Read (http://dx.doi.org/ <http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X247276> 10.1087/095315108X247276) have surveyed 92 of their US colleagues about the usage data they get from publishers and intermediaries - how they use them, and what the problems are; Peter Shepherd (http://dx.doi.org/ <http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X248374> 10.1087/095315108X248374), Director of Project COUNTER, responds to the resultant suggestions in a Letter to the Editors. References are the bugbear of our 'Points of View' author, palaeontologist Stephen Donovan (http://dx.doi.org/ <http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/095315108X254494> 10.1087/095315108X254494); he argues that a reference to a book or article is not sufficiently specific, and that authors should always cite a precise page (or even illustration). All articles are free to ALPSP/SSP members and to subscribers; editorials, reviews and letters to the Editors, as well as any articles where the author has taken up the 'ALPSP Author Choice' OA option, are now free to all. Enjoy your reading (and if anything stimulates you to respond, don't hesitate to contact us)! Sally Morris, Editor-in-Chief ([log in to unmask]) Priscilla Markwood, North American Editor ([log in to unmask])