On building community in scholarly publishing: Modern ambitions and actions inspired by ancient wisdoms

Key points Community ecology: there are parallels between ecological communities and publishing communities, each flourishes with interconnectedness and reciprocity. People‐centric approach: the people of publishing are essential to building and maintaining publishing communities, especially in the age of AI and global fragmentation. Books as community builders: books have historically brought people together and continue to do so, from ancient times to modern book clubs and social media. Leadership and community building: building community takes intention, time and skills, and publishing could benefit from prioritizing community building skills in publishing leadership roles and job descriptions.