Reports

This final report documents the supply chain related to open access (OA) monograph creation, distribution, and curation. It is based on information collected in 2020 through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders and subject-matter experts representative of the supply chain. Interviewees represented publishers, academic librarians, aggregators, publishing platform providers, online book distributors, and others. Preliminary report findings were made available for public comment from 16 October 2020 – 9 April 2021 and shared in conferences and industry groups.  Feedback is incorporated into this final version.

This effort is in support of the broader initiative, Developing a Pilot Data Trust for Open Access Ebook Usage, funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The aim of the overarching project, which has brought together an impressive group of collaborators, is to explore the creation of an international data trust for OA electronic books (ebooks). Such a trust would facilitate data sharing among different stakeholders in the publication of OA ebooks (who might have divergent and potentially conflicting interests) by creating a cooperative framework to allow aggregation, normalization/standardization, and accessibility of data about OA ebooks.

Clarke & Esposito was delighted to have collaborated with the Book Industry Study Group, Curtin University, Educopia Institute, University of Michigan, University of North Texas, and others on this important initiative.