The PALOMERA project, a major initiative aimed at advancing Open Access (OA) book policies across Europe, has wrapped up after two years of extensive research and stakeholder engagement. SPARC Europe, a key partner in the project, played a pivotal role in crafting evidence-based recommendations and fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders.
PALOMERA focused on addressing the limited inclusion of books in funders’ OA policies and emphasized the importance of aligning policies across countries and stakeholder groups in the European Research Area. This alignment is seen as essential to accelerating the transition to Open Access book publishing.
Key outcomes of the project include:
• Policy Recommendations: Targeted at eight stakeholder groups, including libraries, national policymakers, and research funding organizations. These recommendations, co-authored by SPARC Europe, aim to drive policy alignment and support Open Access book initiatives.
• Knowledge Base: A comprehensive repository of over 600 European Open Access policy documents that informed the development of PALOMERA’s recommendations.
• OAPEN OA Books Toolkit: Updated in November with new articles on funding strategies for Open Access books, co-authored by SPARC Europe.
• Funder Forum: An inclusive space for research funders to discuss and align Open Access book policies, fostering international collaboration.
SPARC Europe’s involvement extends beyond PALOMERA, as a founding member of the Open Access Books Network and a continued advocate for Open Access policymaking.
For more details, access the full recommendations here.
Click here to read the original press release.
