Principles and Standards for OA Arrangements Between Libraries/Consortia and Smaller Independent Publishers

August 6, 2021 – The transition to Open Access requires change on the part of all stakeholders, and it is particularly crucial that there is active cross-stakeholder alignment focused on enabling smaller independent publishers to transition successfully. In recognition of this, cOAlition S and ALPSP have asked us to convene groups to work on shared principles, data, licenses, and workflows as outlined in our recent report (see https://www.coalition-s.org/open-access-agreements-with-smaller-publishers-require-active-cross-stakeholder-alignment-report-says/).

We are seeking expressions of interest in engaging with this work. Ideally, we would like a diverse array of people knowledgeable about the topic, who can represent their communities and influence working practices, and backed by organisations willing to communicate, champion, implement and maintain the outputs that will emerge from this work.

You can express interest here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CQDMQD8. We will respond to your expression of interest by 27 August.

Participants will have the opportunity to join one of four working groups or two online events. The options are:

• Task & Finish Group 1 – to review, revise, and agree shared principles for transformative OA agreements between consortia/libraries and smaller independent publishers.
• Task & Finish Group 2 – to review, revise, and agree a model licence based on the principles agreed by Task & Finish Group 1 and a mechanism for keeping this updated.
• Task & Finish Group 3 – to review, revise, and agree a data template that publishers should present to start an OA agreement negotiation.
• Task & Finish Group 4 – to agree an extremely simple set of minimum workflow requirements that consortia/libraries should expect of smaller independent publishers.
• Online Event 1 – to focus on the minimum workflow requirements for smaller independent publishers and agree a plan and timetable for implementing these across platforms.
• Online Event 2 – to focus on future, more ambitious, workflow requirements (e.g., better links between author affiliations, grants IDs, and publications leveraging Wellcome’s investment to issue grant ID DOIs) and agree a plan and timetable for implementing these.

Group 1 will meet for two months beginning in September, and the other groups will meet for three months from November. The online events will occur in February.

Please note that there is real urgency for this work, and therefore we will need to ensure the number of participants remains efficient and agile. If we are unable to accommodate your expression of interest in direct participation, you will also have the opportunity to receive regular updates on progress if you would like to do so.