Ever since the open access (OA) publication of peer-reviewed primary research articles from CERN authors was made a policy requirement in 2014, CERN has made great strides forward in opening its research to anyone around the world. This has been achieved thanks to a variety of mechanisms implemented by the CERN Scientific Information Service (SIS), ranging from a series of Read & Publish agreements signed with major publishers to CERN’s participation in the SCOAP3 consortium, which has arranged for automatic OA to research in high-energy physics (HEP).
Books (including monographs and textbooks) have often been left out of such agreements and schemes. However, more and more monographs are now being published OA, thanks in part to historical and recent initiatives supported by CERN. The latest of these initiatives, SCOAP3 for books, has made dozens of books available in OA since its inception in 2022.
CERN’s commitment to OA for books is nothing new: CERN authors have long benefitted from the Organization’s support to help them make their monographs and reports freely accessible to anyone. As a result, ever since the OA publication of the first Yellow Reports in 1955, many monographs by CERN authors have followed suit. CERN’s efforts in this direction have recently been completed by the Organization’s participation in the MIT’s Direct to Open programme, through which libraries around the world shift from buying monographs from the MIT Press to funding them for everyone.
On top of all that, SCOAP3 for books looks set to bring about an enduring change in the publishing landscape for books in HEP and related disciplines. The initiative, which represents an expansion of the regular activities of the CERN-coordinated SCOAP3, has so far made more than 60 academic books (including monographs and textbooks) available open access. Voluntary contributions from hundreds of SCOAP3 member institutions fund the programme, opening education and research in HEP to the world.
Books published in OA thanks to the SCOAP3 for books initiative can be accessed on the publishers’ websites and through a dedicated collection on the OAPEN Library.
This article was first published on 20 December by CERN.
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