Opening the Future

About the model

Opening the Future brings together publishers and librarians to ensure that quality monographs are published open access affordably and sustainably, in a modified type of “subscribe to open model” (S2O) exclusively for books.

With OTF, collections can grow at vastly reduced rates and funding future OA books demonstrably costs a fraction of closed monographs.

Libraries commit to supporting OtF for 3 years by choosing a book package, and receive perpetual access to the titles included at the end. We at CEU Press in turn use the funding to publish frontlist OA titles without author-facing charges.

To continue our OA publication output, we need library support! Get in touch if your library would like participate. We have made the pricing as affordable as possible, with tiered pricing available for all sizes of institutions.

If you would like to support our authors, or would like a personal introduction to Opening the Future at CEU Press and the impact the model has had on us and researchers globally, contact us here!

• Library chooses one or more subject packages with backlist or midlist (closed) titles

• Library commits to supporting OtF for 3 years – this lets us plan our publication output in OA well in advance, and we can speak to authors about OA early on

• Library pays either annually or prepays the three years

• Access is granted on Project Muse, which turns into perpetual access after the 3 year support period

• We use the funds to make frontlist titles open access – once we have EUR 8500 in the pot, we allocate this funding to a forthcoming title

• Authors from the humanities and social sciences who may not have funding for OA, or don’t come from institutions or countries with monograph OA funds can publish without author-facing charges

• The model supports bibliodiversity, equity and inclusion goals and mission-driven publishing

• OtF works within existing ebook acquisition infrastructures. No need for a special OA fund to support

• The packages are a cost-effective way of building your collection with perpetual access

• Frontlist books will be available in open access, disseminating research in key areas openly and globally – making reliable and authoritative research and content available to everyone, which is critical in times of disinformation and uncertainty

Are you assessing OA book publishing initiatives?

Opening the Future helps you make informed decisions by ticking all the boxes
Works with existing acquisition infrastructure
Supports Diversity, Equity & Inclusion goals
Builds your library collection with perpetual access
Benefits authors and institutions without dedicated OA funds
Authors and institutions don't have to pay expensive BPCs
Complies with funder mandates for monograph publishing
Supports small independent university and mission-driven presses
Sources and disseminates research openly and globally