University of Massachusetts, Amherst joins OLH LPS model

We are extremely pleased to announce that the University of Massachusetts, Amherst has joined the Open Library of Humanities’ Library Partnership Subsidy system. UMass Amherst is one of the major public research universities in America. Nestled in idyllic Amherst, Massachusetts, the campus is consistently ranked among the top public research universities in the nation, and offers a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centers.

The Open Library of Humanities is an academic-led, gold open-access publisher with no author-facing charges. With funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the platform covers its costs by payments from an international library consortium, rather than any kind of author fee.

Dr. Martin Paul Eve, a founder and academic project director of the OLH, welcomed UMass, Amherst: “I am delighted that UMass Amherst has joined the OLH LPS model. UMass Amherst has a great history of working towards change in the scholarly communication ecosystem and, with the help of institutions like UMass Amherst, we will expand the OLH to provide an OA transition in the humanities.”

Marilyn Billings, Scholarly Communication and Special Initiatives Librarian, added “The University Libraries have supported a variety of open access initiatives for over 10 years and by supporting the OLH, that support expands further into the humanities disciplines.”

Journals wishing to join the platform should submit an initial enquiry to martin.eve@openlibhums.org. After the September launch of the OLH, applications will be be subject to the platform's joining procedure. Libraries outside the US and UK interested in joining the OLH Library Partnership Subsidy model should contact Dr. Martin Paul Eve: martin.eve@openlibhums.org. UK-based libraries can join through Jisc Collections at http://www.jisc-collections.ac.uk/Catalogue/Overview/Index/2120. US-based libraries can join through LYRASIS at https://lyrasis.openlibhums.org.