Support open and equitable access
By participating in Direct to Open, libraries shift from buying digital monographs from the MIT Press once for a single collection to funding them once for the world. Together, we can make knowledge more open and accessible. Learn more about joining Direct to Open and our dynamic participation benefits.
Model Design
Designed for Success
Direct to Open is designed to increase our chances of success and open as much scholarly book content as possible. To that end, libraries may choose to to support one of two smaller subject collections—Humanities & Social Sciences and STEAM (STEM plus Art and Design)—or the complete collection.
D2O participating libraries will receive term access to the backlist/archives (~2,500 titles) even if the model is not successful. These archives will otherwise remain gated.
Dynamic Fees
Our participation fees are dynamic. If total participation exceeds our financial goal at the end of the commitment period, the Press will reduce the fees for all participating libraries. Libraries’ strategic investment in the model will lower costs for all participants.
The MIT Libraries are providing support for D2O as a major sponsor in the first year. Their generous contribution will allow us to reduce costs for smaller institutions.
Meant to Be Shared
The Direct to Open model is built to be shared and scaled. We hope that it will not only transform our publishing program, but also be a resource for other university presses and non-profit publishers to adopt and adapt in ways that best suit their needs. We’re looking toward a different future for monographs, not just for The MIT Press, but for the entire scholarly communication ecosystem.
Background and Development
In Spring 2020, Terry Ehling, Director of Strategic Initiatives at The MIT Press, and Raym Crow, a Senior Consultant at SPARC who helped the Press develop Direct to Open, appeared on the CHOICE Authority File podcast to talk about the project’s progress. Their conversation was distributed as a four-part podcast series which illuminates the philosophy driving D2O and its development:
- A Lack of Product-Market Fit: Finding a Place for Open Access Monographs
Conventional market-based models are no longer adequate to support the value-added publication of scholarly monographs. Terry Ehling and Raym Crow discuss the MIT Press's project to develop and openly disseminate a durable financial framework and business plan for open access monograph publishing. - Starting from Scratch: Finding a Place for Open Access Monographs
It’s imperative that nonprofit scholarly presses continue to prototype new, mutually beneficial publication models that treat scholarship as a public good. - Defining the Framework: Finding a Place for Open Access Monographs
Many libraries are redoubling their commitment to open access, but are also waiting to see what models publishers, aggregators, and other service providers are going to propose. - Peer into the Crystal Ball: Finding a Place for Open Access Monographs
The MIT Press’s efforts, through this Arcadia-funded program, are our way of proactively supporting MIT’s commitment to advancing open knowledge and open education and aligning our interests more closely with that of institutional libraries.