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Sustainability Resources

Introduction

This section contains a suite of resources for publishers, service providers and funders to support the sustainability of institutional publishing. Created by DIAMAS, these resources are a mixture of tools, templates, case studies, and reports that Diamond institutional publishers, service providers and funders can utilise in future to both advocate for, and to support the practical implementation of, Diamond OA. This section also provides opportunities for further reading on this topic.

Advocacy Resources

Talking points: Making the case to fund Diamond Open Access

These talking points list a range of reasons for institutions, funders, donors and sponsors to invest in Diamond Open Access publishing. 

The centrality of the workforce for Diamond Open Access: Contractual, in-kind and voluntary work

This short article explains how significant the workforce is to sustaining Diamond Open Access publishing and what challenges these workers face.

Tools

Diamond Open Access sustainability check

This online tool is for Diamond Open Access publishers and Diamond Open Access service providers to gain insights into their financial health to help plan for a more sustainable future. Note the tool consists of two parallel instances: DOAS and the Sustainability Check that can be completed sequentially, if desired.

How to define your Diamond Open Access business case: a six-step guide (coming soon!)

Guidance on how to make the case for supporting your Diamond Open Access publication, project, service or infrastructure.

Nonprofit Business Model Canvas

This guide explains the use of the Nonprofit Business Model Canvas as a strategic management tool and provides a planning template.

Optimise your expenses: Guide for Diamond Open Access publishers  

This guide is designed to help Diamond Open Access publishers manage their expenses and save resources. It walks them through the typical costs involved in running a Diamond Open Access publishing project, with questions that encourage them to think about their current practices and explore ways to optimise costs.

Consider your options: explore the different funding or revenue streams for Diamond Open Access (coming soon!)

This list provides an overview of different funding mechanisms that Diamond Open Access publishers and service providers can use to acquire financial or other resources needed for their OA diamond operations or development.

Research funders committing to Diamond Open Access: A DIAMAS case study report 

This report provides a set of insights into why and how research funders are trying to support Diamond Open Access publishing. It provides case studies examining different funders and their motivations and funding mechanisms, and what this means for their work.

Research, the evidence base

Understanding the financial sustainability of institutional publishers and service providers in Europe

Available as both a full report and a brief summary of key findings, this research investigates what financial sustainability means for institutional publishing in Europe and the workforce involved in it. The analysis draws on four types of data: a literature review of economic and financial aspects of institutional publishing, 2 quantitative surveys (the DIAMAS survey and a follow-up survey focusing on funding practices), 6 focus groups with national-based Institutional Publishers and Service Providers, and 15 interviews with a range of diverse institutional publishing representatives.

National overviews on sustaining institutional publishing in Europe

As both a full report and a factsheet, this deep dive into 10 national contexts shows a wide variety of conditions for funding Diamond Open Access: Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom (UK).

Further reading

Literature on Diamond Open Access publications and infrastructure business models

A community collection of publications and literature on Diamond Open Access publishing and infrastructure business models (Collected by DIAMAS). 

Beyond 'no fee': why Diamond Open Access is much more than a business model  

This chapter seeks to explore the various dimensions of Diamond Open Access from multiple perspectives. By attempting to move beyond the simplistic and technical definition of ‘no-fee’ Open Access, the authors aim to uncover the complex dynamics that underpin knowledge production, as well as the roles that publishers, scholars, institutions, and academic communities play within these processes. 

How to flip your journal: A guide to more equitable publishing with Diamond Open Access

This guide has been written for all journal editors (in the Netherlands and beyond) who would like to transition their journal to a Diamond Open Access publication model. It provides an overview of which steps to take while considering the flip to Diamond Open Access, which routes are possible (subscribe to open, university presses, publishing platforms and do-it-yourself publishing) and which are the costs and possibility of funding the journal under the new model.

We are open to including other resources in the Further reading section and welcome suggestions from the community. You can contact us via toolsuite[at]diamas.org at any time.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the following individuals who contributed to the creation, editing and review of this section.

Tommaso Agnoloni, IGSG-CNR; Mª Ángeles Coslado, FECYT; Sona Arasteh-Roodsary, Operas; Joanna Ball, DOAJ; Margo Bargheer, UGOE; Victoria Brun, CNRS, Jessica Dallaire-Clark, Érudit; Andrea Davidson, SPARC Europe; Helen Dobson, Jisc; Mateusz Franczak, IBL-PAN; Jade Heyman,Jisc; Anna Hughes, Jisc; Tabea Klaus, UGOE; Iryna Kuchma, EIFL; Mikael Laakso, TSV; Sharla Lair, Lyrasis; Iva Melinščak Zlodi, FFZG; Pierre Mounier, Operas; Virginia de Pablo Llorente, FECYT; Tanja Niemann, Érudit; Ginevra Peruginel, IGSG-CNR ; Janne Pölönen, TSV; David Pontille, CNRS; Vanessa Proudman, SPARC Europe, Claire Redhead, OASPA; Pilar Rico-Castro, FEYCT; Johan Rooryck, cOAliton S; Bregt Saenen, Science Europe; Julian Schima, UGOE; Milica Ševkušić, EIFL; Jeroen Sondervan, Open Science NL; Zehra Taşkın, TSV; Didier Torny, CNRS; Jon Treadway, Great North Wood Consulting; Magdalena Wnuk, IPL-PAN

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