Collaborating with Libraries to Make Backlist Books Open Access: What? Why? How?

description

A number of presses are working to make select deep backlist books open access, either working with partners at their own library (e.g., as a collaboration in the library) or in larger collaborations (e.g., with the Big Ten Academic Alliance, California Digital Library, and New York Public Library). Some programs offer university presses payments to make books open access, others offer help with digitization and rights clearance, others still do both. In these breakout sessions we'll brainstorm some of the key questions that arise in programs so far. For example, What criteria can be used to identify good candidates in the backlist? What are the key benefits that presses should be looking for from such programs? What are the main considerations in taking on such a project, e.g., who can do the work, where will the most time be taken, how can responsibilities be distributed? Our goal is discuss multiple types of approach to unlatching value from backlist titles - especially those that may have run out of sales steam.