The Open Library of Humanities (OLH) is pleased to announce that Milligan College has joined the international consortium that is financially supporting the OLH, a new academic-led, open-access publisher.

Founded in 1866, Milligan is a Christian liberal arts college located in Northeast Tennessee with a mission to educate men and women as servant leaders in a variety of careers (visit at http://www.milligan.edu).

The OLH is funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and through an innovative, collective model. The open-access publisher believes that the broadest benefit to society from humanities research occurs when anyone may read it, free of charge. Because author-paid or institution-paid models to achieve this pose a substantially greater problem in these fields, the OLH model will not have author fees.

“It is wonderful that Milligan College has joined the OLH,” said Dr. Martin Paul Eve, co-director of the OLH. “There has been a strong theological/religious studies following of our platform since its inception and it is fantastic to see institutions of all sizes, with diverse mission statements, working together for the greater societal good.”

Gary F. Daught, director of library services at P.H. Welshimer Memorial Library, is well-known for his work on matters pertaining to open access.

“This is an idea whose time has come,” said Daught. “I believe strongly in open access to scholarly research, and I feel especially good about the collaborative approach OLH has adopted for sustainable funding for the benefit of all. Many libraries, big and small, can accomplish together what we can not accomplish alone. Milligan College is a Christian liberal arts institution with a strong program in the humanities. I know that our students and faculty will greatly benefit from the Open Library of Humanities.”

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 will shortly be able to join through Jisc Collections. US-based libraries can join through LYRASIS at https://lyrasis.openlibhums.org.