Knowledge Unlatched focuses on open access (OA) in humanities and social sciences, with over 100 monographs made OA and a community of around 300 libraries from 21 countries. The initiative aims to expand into backlist titles and journals, with plans to collect content from publishers starting June 2016 and a pilot program for journals targeting 350 libraries. Participation involves cost-sharing, with significant returns to publishers and targeted pricing for libraries.

1. Knowledge Unlatched
http://www.knowledgeunlatched.org/

2. KU’s USP
• KU explained in 60 seconds:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-
0PN19YOUk
• Focus on humanities and social science
• Strong in motivating publishers to go OA
• Strong in organizing financial support from the library
community – the most international consortium
• KU Research: intensive research activity by Curtin
University

3. KU round 1 and 2
KU has had a great start and scales well in
round 2
0
20
40
60
80
100
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160
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round 1 round 2
titles submitted
titles selected
+
310%
+279%

4. KU’s to date and next steps
• 100+ front list monographs made OA
• 26 participating publishers
• Community of ~300 libraries from 21 countries
• Over 1.450.000$ raised from participating libraries
• Next steps:
• Expand to Book backlist
• Expand to Journals

5. Creating Scale in Books
• KU wants to become more relevant to libraries
• Book backlist titles:
– 2000-2015
– English language only
• Books offered through subject packages
• Return to publishers: 2.300€/title
• Target price of 10€/title to libraries
• Hosting on publisher platforms and OAPEN/HathiTrust
• Publishers may continue to sell print titles at original price
• KU will start to collect content from publishers in June 2016,
library pledging Sept – Nov 2016 (3 months)
KU offers to unlatch backlist at very low cost

6. Why journals?
• Major research funders worldwide are trying to find a way to
foster OA and have been for several years.
• Publishers experience significant pressure to support OA, most
significant players do by now
• KU is ideally suited to handle journals as well because of key
parameters, such as cost of article processing charges, cost per
article, cost per journal.
Expanding to Journals
The journal world needs KU to address the
organization gap between libraries and publishers

7. Expanding to Journals
• Journal pilot aims at 30 journals, 20 articles p.a. each
• Participating journals have to be 10 years old at least
• Start with subscription year 2017
• 3 year OA agreement (copyright year 2017 - 2020)
• Goal: 350 libraries in year 1
• Target price libraries: 160€ per journal title, €8 per article
• Return to publisher: 45.000€ per journal title, 2.250€ per article
KU Journals – as simple as KU books!

8. Support & Join KU
For more information, please contact sven.fund@fullstopp.com