The Open Landscape Environment as The Expanse

Building on the 2019 ACRL/SPARC Forum on Collective Reinvestment in OpenInfrastructure, this program will explore how libraries can make different commitmentsto fund content created by open infrastructures. Library collections increasinglypromote and reflect such open content and many have chosen to contribute to fundingthose products. There is not one formula or roadmap to underwrite the publishing anddistribution costs of these open resources. There are many variables and considerationsas some open content corresponds to serials and others are books or monographs. Openaccess content is increasingly found in nearly all subject areas, as scholarlypublishing models have evolved. Open access does not come without a price to create,maintain and preserve the outputs. Libraries are reconsidering whether they want tocommit so much to purchase materials or subscription-based products, when it is unclearwhat the anticipated use of any materials will be over time. Planning and opportunitiesfor new and more flexible decisions concerning adjustments to and expenditures of thematerials budget are under exploration by libraries. There are many options to invest increating more content to be released as open access. Such options include contributingfinancially from the Library collections or materials budget to subsidizing or coveringAPCs, engaging in a more “library as publisher” model hosting journals, publishingbooks, creating OERs, and offsetting other expenses that ultimately drive a moreintensive open infrastructure. Library leaders and partners will share their ideas abouttrying different approaches to contribute to more open publishing initiatives andexplore whether efforts in deploying current book and serial costs to offsetopportunities to build a wider and more open infrastructure is on the horizon. Thisanalysis should incorporate the costs of analytical tools necessary to the use of suchcontent in today’s research. Questions will be solicited ahead of time to reflectaudience’s interest in such a rethinking of the library collections budget. Please emailJulia Gelfand at with your questions.