The Company of Biologists is thrilled to announce a remarkable milestone in its Read & Publish Open Access (OA) initiative, with the number of participating institutions soaring by 37% since January 2023. Now, 825 institutions across 49 countries are actively engaged in this transformative program, marking a significant leap forward in the global dissemination of scientific research.
With agreements established with eighteen library consortia worldwide, The Company of Biologists has recently renewed partnerships with esteemed organizations such as the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL), and the Max Planck Digital Library (MPDL) in Germany, ensuring continuity and stability for a further three years. Notable growth has been witnessed in Germany and the Republic of Korea, propelled by new consortium agreements with ZB Med – Information Centre for Life Sciences and the Korean E-resource Service for Library Consortium (KESLI) and the Korean Council for University Education (KCUE) Consortium, respectively. The initiative has also gained significant traction in North America, including a pivotal consortium agreement with the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL). Moreover, with an agreement with the Digital Resource Acquisition Alliance of Chinese Academic Libraries (DRAA) in place, further expansion is anticipated in China.
The resounding success of The Company of Biologists’ Read & Publish initiative is reflected in the substantial growth of OA research content in its hybrid journals—Development, Journal of Cell Science, and Journal of Experimental Biology. These pioneering journals, bestowed with Transformative Journal status by Plan S, have consistently met their targets for OA growth in 2021, 2022, and 2023, underscoring their pivotal role in advancing open science.
Moreover, The Company of Biologists has reported that over 90% of libraries have opted to include its fully OA journals—Disease Models & Mechanisms and Biology Open—in their Read & Publish agreements for 2024. This strategic shift not only dismantles barriers to publishing and accessing research articles but also empowers corresponding authors at participating institutions to publish an unlimited number of OA research articles in the company’s fully OA journals, as well as hybrid journals, without incurring Article Processing Charges (APCs).
With its Read & Publish initiative gaining unprecedented momentum and driving the transition towards open science, The Company of Biologists reaffirms its commitment to fostering global collaboration and accessibility in scientific research.
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