Innovative open access model now available from de Gruyter

Walter de Gruyter, the independent academic publisher, has introduced “de Gruyter Open Library” publishing model for its journals and book series, signifying a shift from both its traditional model and conventional (not transparent) open access model in publishing.

The new golden hybrid offering for researchers is to meet the shifting interests of the authors, customers and the clients and also for bringing in a transparent model.

By becoming a full service partner for all needs in scientific publishing, De Gruyter aims to secure the future cooperation with scholars from all fields. Sven Fund, its managing director told IWR: “Research institutes and scientific societies in Germany require alternative models in publishing. Especially in the humanities, the one-sided practice of printed book publishing had to be reassessed as we aim to offer a real alternative”.

In addition to publishing the article on de Gruyter’s own platform, it will also archive the links in an OA Repository, as a service provided to the authors. The Berlin-based publisher added that the choice of open access has no influence on the peer review process and the resulting scholarly quality of the articles.

Fund said: “With the Open Library we afford a change from subscriber-based business models to one financed directly by scholars, as demanded by international institutions promoting scholarship”.

Regardless of discipline and length of the publication, the mode for articles from journals, book series or collected volumes will be applied.

The standard general OA model for $2,450 (£1670) per article offers authors a chance to provide readers with access to their contributions free of charge on the website. In future, de Gruyter will adjust product prices in the event of a calculated 20% increase in revenues through OA.