The Wellcome Library has signed up to a new open access pilot project, Knowledge Unlatched (KU). KU aims to make a collection of books, covering a wide range of humanities and social science topics, available on open access licenses through funding from hundreds of libraries.
Representing an additional route to open access for books, alongside funder- or author-pays models, the KU model allows participating libraries to share the cost of a single fixed fee to a publisher to 'unlatch' a book, making it available on a Creative Commons license via OAPEN as a fully downloadable PDF. As the fee amount is fixed, the cost per library for each title declines as more libraries participate in the scheme, ensuring that library spending results in the widest possible access to scholarly books.
By participating in the KU pilot scheme, the Wellcome Library will join other libraries and publishers in collaborating towards a sustainable open future for specialist books.
Libraries can participate in the Knowledge Unlatched pilot scheme until January 31, 2014.
