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Open Access

Subscribe to Open

“Subscribe to Open” (S2O) is a pragmatic approach for converting subscription journals to open access—free and immediate online availability of research—without reliance on either article processing charges (APCs) or altruism.

S2O relies on existing library subscription procurement processes. The model provides a realistic and immediate route to opening a vast body of research output that would otherwise remain gated.

 

How S2O Works

S2O allows publishers to convert journals from subscriptions to Open Access, one year at a time. Using S2O, a publisher offers a journal’s current subscribers continued access. If all current subscribers participate in the S2O offer (simply by not opting out) the publisher opens the content covered by that year’s subscription. If participation is not sufficient—for example, if some subscribers delay renewing in the expectation that they can gain access without participating—then that year’s content remains gated.

The offer is repeated every year, with the opening of each year’s content contingent on sufficient participation. In some cases, access to backfile content may be used to enhance the offer.

 

Source: S2O Community of Practice. https://subscribetoopencommunity.org

 

 

Diagram shows the Subscribe to Open decision point: whether journal becomes open or remains gated access depends on number of subscribers

Source: Annual Reviews, Subscribe to Open. https://www.annualreviews.org/page/subscriptions/subscribe-to-open. (CC-BY-SA 1.0)

 

 

Libraries' Effort

The Libraries participates in S2O programmes of various publishers, aiming to enable open access, depending on the current available resources.

Authors, no matter with which institutions are they affiliated, can publish their works in open access without paying fees (article processing charges, APC).

Readers from all over the world can read and re-use the works published in open access without paying fees.

Below are some examples of S2O programmes participated by the Libraries:

Journals

Books