Open Journal Systems (OJS) serves as a critical platform for scholarly journals, connecting them to a broader ecosystem of repositories, funders, and indexing services. Upgrading OJS is not merely a technical task; it is essential for maintaining interoperability with the evolving open scholarly infrastructure. This infrastructure encompasses shared digital platforms and services that support the research lifecycle, emphasizing values such as openness and transparency. As scholarly publishing increasingly relies on interconnected systems, journals using outdated OJS versions may face challenges such as incomplete metadata support and limited integration with essential services like Crossref. Crossref, known for its DOI registration, enhances metadata connectivity, which is vital for citation linking and research analytics. Journals that invest in upgrading to newer OJS versions will be better positioned to meet the growing expectations of authors and institutions. With OJS 3.5 recently released, journals are encouraged to participate in upcoming events to learn about new features and upgrade processes, ensuring they remain competitive and relevant in the global scholarly publishing landscape.