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This toolkit is the output of one of Copim's Open Book Futures project deliverables: to establish a knowledge base to provide comprehensive resources on alternative funding models and modes of publishing, acquiring and archiving open access books, alongside ne...

Traditional academic monograph sales are declining. The sector needs some kind of change in order to survive: OA is a more cost effective way to fund and produce these books for the academic market.   OA is increasingly important and in some places mandated...

It is a revenue model utilising a Press' closed backlist to fund the open access frontlist.  The Press creates backlist packages that libraries can subscribe to.  The library subscriptions are then used solely to publish frontlist titles OA.  How the Op...

This is not a transformative agreement which links institutional support of a Press to their own authors being allowed to publish with that Press. Having a positive, open and respectful relationship with librarians is fundamental. You should communicate wit...

You can use OtF to convert a series of books to OA (on the frontlist), or it can be used to gradually convert your entire frontlist to OA. This will change the scale of your OtF activities and how many library subscriptions you need. It may also impact how m...

Hear from staff at Central European University Press and Liverpool University Press, who have both been using the model since its inception in 2020.  CEU Press implemented the Opening the Future model in 2021, and has been running it successfully for the ...

To access the modelling tool please click here 👉 Copim Opening the Future revenue projections modeller v5.xlsx Your rate of conversion to OA on the frontlist will rely on how many library subscriptions you can gain. These are, of course, subject to market c...

While this resource cannot dispense and does not constitute formal accountancy or legal advice with respect to taxation, there are several considerations to bear in mind: The United Kingdom’s HMRC (the formal tax body) previously advised the Open Library of...

Delivering a worldwide membership programme requires significant resources. You can make the process more streamlined for yourself by working with trusted partners who can slot into different points in the process. The diagram below shows the relationships and...

You will need to display information on what packages of backlist books you are offering, and where to sign up for them.  A sign up or simple enquiry form could be on your website, or on that of a 3rd party, and/or it may point potential members to the subs...

Use CC licencing for the OtF-funded frontlist and a Shared E-Resource Understanding (SERU) to govern library access to the backlist.  Use a reputable host for your OA frontlist (if you do not self-host) who will ensure long-term archiving. We have suggestio...

When the current subscription has a few months left, you should get in touch with the library to discuss renewal.  Renewals may take the form of additional backlist packages, or a supporter package without backlist content.  Despite the extremely difficult...

We recommend regularly (e.g. weekly) disseminating news on your platform and social media about new library sign ups and new Otf-funded titles. We also recommend quarterly updates to your library subscribers.  If you have the resources, you may want to mark...

Where possible, ask your authors to undertake outreach to their own library about the model. Outreach to backlist authors Authors who have published with the press are likely to be among the keenest to ensure its future prosperity. Authors who have previ...

OA/scholarly communications librarians may support this model as part of the broader effort to shift the academic landscape towards open research.  Open access librarians are often extremely savvy and well versed in new models for open access. Given the a...

Acquisition/collection librarians may wish to participate in OtF in order to enhance their collections in a cost-efficient way (while also supporting open access).  One of the core goals of the Opening the Future model is to shift from a bifurcated enviro...

Library consortia can offer extremely useful financial support, but their processes can be lengthy and complex. You should seek out consortia whose members may already publish (extensively) with you to demonstrate the value of investment.   Approaching l...

This section contains answers to the most frequently asked questions that we encountered in deploying Opening the Future. These FAQs can be used in response to queries about the model or simply to answer these questions if you have them yourself. The numbers i...

Mithu Lucraft, “Open Access to academic books creates larger, more diverse and more equitable readerships,” LSE Impact Blog (blog), March 3, 2021, https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2021/03/03/open-access-to-academic-books-creates-larger-more-diver...

Held workshops and conversations with digital preservation experts  Spoken to open access presses about their preservation practices and ambitions  Spoken to digital preservation services about their offerings to smaller publishers  Shar...