This document summarizes the learnings from Knowledge Unlatched's 2017 journal pilot program. It discusses that the program aimed to transition journals to an APC-free open access publishing model through crowdfunding. 21 journals participated, with 16 being successfully transitioned. Feedback revealed that some found the package too diverse, while others were constrained by existing subscription deals. It was observed that differentiation between access-driven and publication-driven journals is important, and that the APC savings argument was more persuasive than the subscription argument. Moving forward, Knowledge Unlatched plans to focus on STEM and smaller HSS journal packages.

1. Knowledge Unlatched
Transitioning journals into an APC-free
model
Learnings from the KU 2017 journal pilot

2. Knowledge Unlatched2
Knowledge Unlatched

3. Knowledge Unlatched3
 Transition journals into 3-year APC-free publishing
model for any author
 Crowdsourcing the target APC revenue of a journal
 KU holds the right to unlatch the journal into this new
model if the target APC revenue is met
 Otherwise review the pricing and options with the publisher
 Risk-free model for publishers
KU Select Journal Model

4. Knowledge Unlatched4
 In total 21 journals were included
 Volume 5 to 10 (or beyond), English language, HSS
 Various business models:
 Subscription journals (10x)
 Gold OA journals (9x)
 Institutionally funded journals (1x)
 Target to transition all into the APC-free model
KU Select 2017 setup

5. Knowledge Unlatched5
 In total 16 journals were unlatched (80%)
 Full target not reached
 Updated agreement to transition following titles:
 Subscription journals (6x) – Berghahn, Brill, SAGE, Peter Lang
 Gold OA journals (9x) -- MDPI
 Institutionally funded journals (1x) – UopenJournals
 Early effect on Gold OA journals:
 MDPI reported 80% increase in submissions 2018Q1 for
unlatched journals
KU Select 2017 outcome

6. Knowledge Unlatched6
Feedback & Learnings

7. Knowledge Unlatched7
 For some the package was too diverse:
 ‘‘No interest in package, only in a few journals‘‘
 Double-dipping risk
 ‘‘Cannot cancel subscription due to uncertainty with backfiles‘‘
 ‘‘Journals are part of a larger deal, cannot opt out (SAGE)‘‘
 No clear budgets, or operationally challenging to coordinate
 ‘‘Cannot organise the funding internally“
 Observation I: Clear differentation between “access driven‘ and ‘publication driven‘ journals
 High number of subscribers that don‘t publish / High number of publications per year
 Observation II: APC savings / showing publications sales argument worked well
 Interest of librarians triggered by mentioning publications of their faculty
 Observation III: Subscription argument did not work well
 E.g. 3 subscriptions to journals in collection, still no pledge for all 21
Selection of feedback received

8. Knowledge Unlatched8
Customer profiles
 Challenge for APC-free journals: how to convince
profile 1 & 3 institutions to support?

9. Knowledge Unlatched9
 KU Select 2018 STEM Journals – focus on
subscription & hybrid journals
 KU Select 2018 HSS Journals – smaller package,
focus on subscription & OA journals
 KU Partners – Active outreach support for publisher
specific OA models
 Books – Language Science Press
 Journals – In conversation with MDPI
Moving forward – KU Journals

10. Knowledge Unlatched
Thank you!
max@knowledgeunlatched.org