{"id":142,"date":"2025-10-20T12:35:23","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T11:35:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.york.ac.uk\/library\/?p=142"},"modified":"2025-10-20T15:14:23","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T14:14:23","slug":"open-access-week-2025-pathways-to-sustainable-scholarly-publishing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.york.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/10\/20\/open-access-week-2025-pathways-to-sustainable-scholarly-publishing\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Access Week 2025: Pathways to sustainable scholarly publishing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the first of a short series of posts marking International Open Access Week 2025 (20\u201326 October)<\/a> we help publicise the University of York’s commitments towards sustainable scholarly publishing<\/em><\/em>, and share a recap of an event hosted on behalf of the N8 Research Partnership<\/em><\/a> this summer<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"N8<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Speaking directly to the theme of this year’s Open Access Week, ‘Who Owns Our Knowledge?<\/a>‘, the recent N8 Statement on Sustainable Scholarly Publishing<\/a> calls on publishers to shift away from operating in a manner that no longer serves the interests of academic communities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statement, developed collaboratively by senior leaders across the N8 universities<\/a> including Library Directors, Pro-Vice-Chancellors for Research, and Vice-Chancellors, sets out five key commitments:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Exploring shared infrastructure and supporting enhanced green open access proactively through institutional repositories<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Investing in non-profit tools and platforms that support open research and transparent publishing<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Engaging researchers in conversations about the impact of their publishing choices<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Sharing best practices with the wider library and research sector<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Championing a positive research culture through open access, responsible metrics, and inclusive infrastructure<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Alongside the publication of the statement<\/a> in June, Professor Charlie Jeffery, University of York Vice-Chancellor and President and previous Chair of the N8 Research Partnership, commented:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    For too long, we\u2019ve seen the consolidation of scholarly publishing into the hands of a few major commercial players whose priorities are increasingly divorced from the academic communities they were meant to serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Our researchers are delivering work that will help improve the world around us. They then review and edit this work \u2013 often without compensation \u2013 and yet institutions are charged both to publish and to access this knowledge. The balance has tipped too far, and we hope this statement represents a first step towards the N8 working with publishers to develop a different approach that will benefit all parties.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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