NASIG 2021

We outline the work of a university press, with assistance from the COPIM Project (Community-led Open Publication Infrastructures for Monographs), in launching an innovative revenue model to fund open access monographs at a traditional scholarly publisher. Building on library subscription models, we present a sustainable OA publishing model that gives library members access to a highly-regarded backlist, with the revenue then used to make the frontlist openly accessible.

Given the current global library environment and existing budget pressures that have been exacerbated by Covid-19, a consortial model of funding promises a cost-effective solution for OA that means no single institution bears a disproportionate burden. This model, then, appeals to both those who wish to pay for subscription-access content (more traditional university acquisition models) and those who support OA initiatives. It brings many institutions together under one roof for an affordable route to open-access books.