Information for Publishers

Would you like to offer academic monographs or edited volumes via Open Access – without complicated funding applications and with a clearly predictable process?

Purchase to Open (P2O) makes this possible: with our title-based, solidarity-based funding model, libraries from German-speaking countries contribute to the funding of individual publications. This allows you, as a publisher, to specifically invite proposals for Open Access funding for certain titles, thereby offering your authors an alternative funding model.

The concept: crowdfunding for academic books

As a publisher, you set the funding target for each publication submitted. Libraries from German-speaking countries are then invited to contribute to the funding. Each publication is given its own landing page, where the current status of the crowdfunding campaign can be tracked transparently at any time via a progress bar.

You can have any partial funding already secured credited directly – this reduces the target amount and increases the chances of success. However, participation is also possible without existing funding: additional funds can be contributed throughout the entire crowdfunding period.
If the funding target is reached, the publication will be made available in Open Access – permanently and freely accessible worldwide.

How it works:

1. Title selection:
   You will review submitted manuscripts as part of your regular quality control process. Monographs and edited volumes in the humanities across all disciplines are welcome.
    
2. Setting the funding and timeline:
   As a publisher, you should define a specific funding target and the duration of the crowdfunding campaign for each publication. Ideally, the books should be published around 10–12 weeks after the funding has been secured. To ensure everything runs smoothly, it is advisable to coordinate the timing closely with the authors.
    
3. Report title to P2O:
   Once you have made your decision, submit the title(s) to the platform via a CSV file. There is no need to submit a funding application. The details will then be published transparently on the book’s details page. 
    
4. Crowdfunding process:
   Libraries are invited to contribute to the funding via so-called ‘pledges’. The price of a pledge corresponds to the price of the e-book campus licence. Each publication has its own landing page, where the current funding status is clearly displayed via a progress bar updated daily.
    
5. Publisher account:
   Each publisher is provided with their own account on the platform. This allows them to update title details at any time. The account also provides a structured overview of all submitted titles, current pledging deadlines, current interim figures and results achieved.
   
   Once the crowdfunding campaign has concluded:
   
   a) Open access publication: 
   Once the crowdfunding campaign has concluded, your publishing house will publish the book as open access and make the full text available on your website. In addition, the book must be submitted to OAPEN to ensure broad, international visibility and long-term archiving.
   
   b) E-book campus license:
   If the minimum threshold is not reached, the participating libraries that have made a pledge will automatically acquire the campus licence for the e-book at the same price as the pledge.