For our November #RoadToOpen article, we revisit one of our favourite themes: Subscribe to Open. Here we highlight some key take-aways from EDP Sciences’ participation in the recent OASPA “Wayfinders” webinar. OASPA’s Wayfinders Series focuses on increasing equity in open access publishing, as an alternative to pay-to-publish models in open access. The discussion explored the Subscribe to Open (S2O) model, emphasising its potential to foster sustainable and equitable Open Access. At EDP Sciences, our S2O journey continues to be guided by principles of community collaboration, transparency, and innovation, as we work to shape a more inclusive publishing landscape.

OASPA’s Wayfinders Webinar Explores the Subscribe to Open Model

On 6 November 2024, the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA) hosted the fourth webinar in its “Wayfinders” series, spotlighting Subscribe to Open (S2O) as an equitable route to Open Access (OA). The session was chaired by Malavika Legge, Programme Manager at OASPA, and featured Anne Ruimy, Publishing Director at EDP Sciences, who shared insights from EDP Sciences’ experience with S2O across a range of disciplines. Anne was joined by Richard Gallagher, President and Editor-in-Chief of Annual Reviews, who discussed their pioneering implementation of S2O, and Wendy Queen, Director of Project MUSE, who highlighted how their platform supports S2O for humanities and social sciences publishers.

EDP Sciences as an Early Adopter of S2O

Anne Ruimy’s presentation highlighted EDP Sciences’ experience as an early adopter of the S2O model, particularly in mathematics, where the model has gained significant traction. As the publishing partner for SMAI (the Société de Mathématiques Appliquées et Industrielles), EDP Sciences has been a key advocate for transparency in S2O reporting, enabling institutional subscribers to make informed decisions about supporting open access. Anne also shared how the collaborative efforts of EDP Sciences, SMAI, and other mathematics publishers like MSP and EMS Press have demonstrated the power of partnerships in amplifying the impact of S2O across the mathematics community.

Key Themes from the Webinar

The discussion explored the Subscribe to Open (S2O) model’s potential to reshape the Open Access (OA) landscape, with several key themes emerging:

• Revolutionising Open Access: S2O eliminates financial barriers for authors and readers, leveraging collective action to enable libraries’ subscriptions to make content freely accessible while retaining a safety net if subscription levels drop.
• Proven Success with Sustainability Challenges: While S2O has been successfully implemented across numerous journals by publishers like EDP Sciences, Annual Reviews and Project MUSE, long-term sustainability and maintaining institutional support remain central challenges.
• Adaptation and Innovation: S2O’s flexibility allows publishers to tailor the model to specific disciplines and community needs. However, calls for standardisation and transparency highlight the need to address misunderstandings and foster broader adoption.
• Transparency and Collaboration: Trust is built through transparency reports and active engagement among publishers, libraries, and funders. The S2O Community of Practice plays a vital role in addressing challenges and sharing strategies.
• Alignment with Other OA Models: S2O complements initiatives like Diamond OA, creating opportunities for equitable and globally accessible scholarly communication systems while addressing discipline-specific requirements.

Addressing Community Questions

The lively Q&A session addressed critical questions about the Subscribe to Open (S2O) model, highlighting its nuances and practical applications:

• S2O vs. Diamond OA: While Diamond OA offers fully unconditional OA, S2O provides a safety net, as journals can revert to subscriptions if funding gaps arise, ensuring long-term sustainability.
• Integration with Other Models: S2O can complement Read & Publish agreements, maintaining relationships with institutions while achieving 100% OA without APCs.
• Community Support: Collaborative efforts among publishers and engagement with networks like the S2O Community of Practice are vital for addressing shared challenges and promoting broader adoption of the model.

EDP Sciences’ participation in this Wayfinders webinar highlights its ongoing commitment to sustainable and equitable open access solutions. As Anne Ruimy explained, “transparency, collaboration, and adaptability are essential to the success of S2O and the broader open access movement”.

For those who missed the session, a recording is available on the OASPA website, along with detailed responses to audience questions in the Q&A document.