Introduction

Using the OA Books Toolkit

This Toolkit is aimed at promoting and supporting open access (OA) to academic books. It consists of short articles covering a wide range of topics relating to OA books, each including a list of sources referenced, further reading and links to definitions of key terms.

The toolkit has two main sections. One section is for researchers as authors of academic books, and is intended to help authors to better understand open access book publishing and to increase trust in open access books. The other section is aimed at policy makers and provides a resource to support policy development for OA books. Taken together, the articles should also be of interest to the wider range of stakeholders with an interest in OA books publishing and policy, for example libraries and publishers.

For authors

Open access for books

This subsection serves as an introduction to open access for academic books. Topics include what open access is, what its benefits are, common myths about open access, digital and print publication books, the difference between open access and non-open access books and how open access books differ from open access journals.

For authors

Publishing open access books

This subsection looks at the publication process: how it relates to the research life cycle, what options authors have when considering to publish an open access book, how to find publishers that meet your needs, the services that you can expect from publishers, the peer review process, explanations of the legal context of publishing (the book contract, licensing, rights management), how open access books are made discoverable and how they can be re-used.

For authors

Business models and funding

This subsection provides information about the different publishing models for open access books and explains green, gold and diamond open access. There are also articles about funding: how open access books are funded, common eligibility criteria to receive funding and how to find funding to cover open access publication costs.

For policymakers

Open Access book policies

This subsection covers the whole life cycle of policy development for open access books. There are articles about the overall landscape of open access book policies, including a review of available literature and articles about attitudes, needs and challenges regarding open access policies. Other articles cover key policy elements and policy implementation.

For policymakers

Funding Policies

This subsection addresses means by which open access books are funded. One article looks at the funding landscape, highlighting research funders and institutions, and includes examples of the different ways these policies are organised in different countries. There are also separate articles providing details of funding mechanisms from research performing organisations and research funding organisations.

Spotlight

The Knowledge Base

The Knowledge Base is a collection of documents, such as reports, policies, survey results and statistics, relevant to Open Access (OA) policies regarding OA books in the European Research Area (ERA).

Experimental book publishing

Experimental publishing can take a multitude of forms and modalities. It questions assumptions about what publishing is for and offers a critique of existing scholarly communication systems, while also providing new imaginaries for the future of the book. It does this by experimenting in an open way with the idea and form of the book and the systems of material production surrounding it.

Why publish an open access book?

Publishing open access means your book or chapter can be read, reviewed, shared, and cited without depending on readers buying it or libraries stocking it. Open access therefore greatly increases the opportunities for your work to be read widely and to have an impact on the world.