Lucy Barnes

So the books --> books infrastructure connection made by OBC makes total sense if you are focusing on books as the common factor, but you might think of publishers | service providers & therefore conceive of them as something different (even tho publishers are also both infras & service providers)

Yep and this is a big part of the challenge/opportunity with these sorts of ambitions, right: working/interoperating with/building up/adding to what's already there as far as possible, so as to coordinate efforts -- which also means being aware of what's out there in an often fragmented landscape

Seeding for a not-for-profit community-led OA books ecosystem This blog post traces the efforts undertaken during the past 24-36 months to foster collaboration between like-minded open not-for-profit infrastructures active in OA book publishing, leading to the i...

Also, financial support is only one - although certainly important! - piece in the larger puzzle of working towards a coordinated collaborative open ecosystem that fosters interoperability based on open data and APIs ...
doi.org/10.21428/785...

Highlights from Day 2 of #CopimConference programme are over on our LinkedIn page!

Head over there now to find out more!

👉 www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

Photo: Jake Hills via Unsplash

⏰ The deadline to apply is Sunday 1 February

This distrust in Al is reflected across the research conducted within this project-including the literature review, public and professional surveys, and deliberative workshops in this research. Distrust will have a significant impact not only on citizens' acceptance of Al-based products and services, but also on their willingness to provide data for commercial and public sector Al-based products and services. Without trust and with broader fear of Al, individuals express a reluctance or discomfort in engaging with Al. This restricts their ability to build Al skills.

however, sadly, the paper pitches this as a "trust issue" but people are right now to trust this stuff! Also complete failure to recognise that tools need to be worthy of trust, not that people should give their trust more freely

It's quite worrying the SoS is equating learning how to prompt in 20 mins or under with diagnostic uses of AI in healthcare. I also still can't really believe govt is investing in universal training in proprietary tools. That Microsoft koolaid must be pretty intoxicating

Want to know more about the #CopimConference programme?

Details of Day One are over on our LinkedIn page

Check it out now 👀 buff.ly/pe3QHsc

Photo: Jon Schnobri via Unsplash

Three major research universities opt out of new Elsevier deal Complaints over ‘price increases’ and open access models spur UK institutions to walk away from offer from publishing giant, despite nationally negotiated agreement

And so it begins... 3 UK universities (Essex, Sussex & Kent) have just gone public about walking away from their Elsevier Read & Publish deals, despite Jisc's recently announced agreement. Expect to see more of these over the coming months. www.timeshighereducation.com/news/three-m... #OpenAccess

Not only that - at those two round tables when Fiona and Harriet went for her as hard as they could, the only person who voted for Rachel on either night was Harriet, on the night she got banished.

A line of leafcutter ants walking across a tree trunk, each carrying a piece of bright green leaf above their heads.

📣 New JiscMail list for small publishers!

Help grow the community! 🌱

Join us for open, supportive discussions on accessibility challenges and good practice

Search OPENBOOK-ACCESSIBILITY@JISCMAIL.AC.UK 👉 buff.ly/b1eJBdE

Photo: Bernd Dittrich via Unsplash

1/ I'm seeking expressions of interest from nonprofit organizations to take over the Open Access Tracking Project (#OATP, @oatp) and the open-source software (#TagTeam) on which it runs.

Details in this Google doc:
https://bit.ly/TransferOATP

Contact me <peter.suber@gmail.com> if you have any […]

Do please share the news about these bursaries with your networks or with anyone you know who might be interested!

#LibraryBsky #OAbooks #OpenAccess

👀In a few weeks' time we'll be launching our NEW catalogue of open research practices in the arts, humanities and qualitative social sciences - ~30 open research practices across AHSS disciplines that we've documented so far, with detailed descriptions, examples and resources.

This is something I was helping with before I left the Open Book Futures project: experimental (very) open community peer review of an experimental monograph using GitHub. We're trying something new so feel free to come along and help us make it work.

Yes indeed, great to hear you'll be involved too Martin!

Find out more about Thoth 1.0 at the official launch event 🚀

🧡 Copim Conference
📆 26–27 February 2026
📍 Loughborough University (London Campus) and online
🔗 copim.pub/join-us-for-...

Hello Bluesky. I am a cultural and media theorist working across the fields of (book) publishing and digital culture, researching the future of scholarly communications and experimental forms of knowledge production.

I'll be presenting with @theblochian.bsky.social about the work of the @openbookcollective.bsky.social and the @ojcollective.bsky.social - hope to see some of you there!

Some example academic book proposal forms in case they help A pivotal moment in my academic career, or at least one I remember clearly, was when a very senior professor in the US sent me his book proposal for an acade...

Here are 8 successful *proposals* for academic books/monographs. I am hoping that these help someone who is starting out trying to write one and wants to see what worked for me. They are provided as examples, rather than exemplars. A lot of it was just finding my own way eve.gd/2026/01/16/s...

Wiley, as ever, serving its most important stakeholders, the shareholders.

I’m not implacably against these licenses, but in the current dispensation the scholarly communities that created, vetted, & curated the knowledge aren’t even at the table in these deals.

Sponsored places for the Copim Conference 2026 - Copim Copim is offering a minimum of three sponsored places to this year’s conference ‘Exploring the future of community-led open access books’. Find out more in th…

Do you work in a UK HE library? Are you early-career? Would you like a sponsored place to attend the Copim Conference at the end of February?

Find out how to apply for these sponsored places, which are offered in memory of our beloved friend and colleague, Elaine Sykes: buff.ly/sbU2eRP

#OAbooks

[MILESTONE] Over 100 people have now registered to attend the #CopimConference in person

Only 75 in person tickets left (with less than 50 online tickets left!) 🎫

Get yours today 👉 buff.ly/hpWCA6L

📆 26-27 February 2026
📍 Loughborough University | LONDON

⏰ This is not a drill - last chance to register!

Discuss issues faced in digitally preserving #OpenAccess monographs AND theses from the perspective of publishers, university repositories and authors

Open Book Publishers | Patreon Open access academic books

NEW: Why not start the new year by joining our individual membership programme?

Last year, we published 60+ #OA books w/no mandatory fees. Join one of 5 monthly membership tiers—ranging from £1 to £50—receive benefits & support #OpenAccess to research! ✊

Join us: www.patreon.com/c/openbookpu...

The Compass really is an excellent tool; have a look and see what you think, researchers.

For Day 9 we see: The Copim Compass! This comprehensive and continuously updated guide from our friends @copim.bsky.social provides resources for anyone wanting to get involved in Open Access book production be you a: author, publisher, editor, software designer or library
abdn.site/vNQ3U

A woman with dark hair standing in front of a room and presenting with slides in the background.

A woman with dark hair standing in front of a room and presenting with slides in the background.

An enjoyable day spent yesterday presenting on @openbookpublish and discussing #OpenAccess at the "Diamond ERA: Fostering Openness in the European Research Area" conference.

Thanks and congratulations to PolSCA and CHC Digital Humanities for an excellent event.

Looking forward to this event on Thurs!

LinkedIn Login, Sign in | LinkedIn Login to LinkedIn to keep in touch with people you know, share ideas, and build your career.

[EVENT] Diamond ERA: Fostering Openness in the European Research Area 💎

The showcase session Institutional & Community-Driven Diamond OA Initiatives features lightning talks by @alittleroad.bsky.social @theblochian.bsky.social ⚡

Full programme and event link 👉 buff.ly/Ntr9Zem

#AHSS #SSH