Open Access Publishing in European Networks (OAPEN) has announced new service for Open Access monographs called the Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB). DOAB will provide a searchable index to peer-reviewed monographs and edited volumes published under an Open Access business model, with links to the full texts of the publications at the publisher's website or repository. The beta version of the service will be made public early spring 2012 and will contain publications of a selected number of academic publishers.
The primary aim of DOAB is to increase discoverability of Open Access books. Academic publishers will be invited to provide the metadata of their Open Access books to the DOAB. Metadata will be harvestable in order to maximise dissemination, visibility and impact. Aggregators can integrate the records in their commercial services and libraries can integrate the directory into their online catalogues, thereby helping scholars, students and the general public to discover the books. The directory will be open to all academic publishers and should contain as many books as possible, provided that these books are peer reviewed and published in Open Access. DOAB will determine requirements for publishers to qualify as Open Access academic book publishers and will maintain a certification procedure.
A number of academic publishers have already expressed their interest in taking part in the further development of the service.
DOAB will be launched by the OAPEN Foundation. OAPEN will manage the service and approach publishers to provide the metadata of their Open Access books. The OAPEN Foundation is an international initiative dedicated to Open Access monograph publishing, based at the National Library in The Hague.
