Open access doesn’t hit book sales, project finds

An EU-funded project has reported that the open-access publication of monographs does not result in fewer book sales, because it increases visibility and creates opportunities for business models.

The project, Oapen-NL,  suggests several measures that should be taken to improve open access to monographs. These include storing monographs in a dedicated repository, a transparent fee structure for publication charges, and a sufficient embargo period.

The Oapen-NL project was carried out by Dutch research institutions as a response to a reported decrease in the availability of monographs, due to lack of funding for libraries.