As a leading open access (OA) publisher, Frontiers is proud to have attended and sponsored this year's LIBER conference. This annual gathering brings librarians, publishers, and researchers together to discuss the latest advancements and challenges in academic communication.

Here's a look at some key takeaways for the community, informed by the insightful sessions and discussions we had the opportunity to participate in. 

A call for transparency in costs and collaboration

One of the biggest challenges facing libraries and institutions advocating for Open Access is ensuring their long-term financial sustainability. The conference underscored a shared need for cost transparency and a call for increased collaboration within the OA community. This was particularly evident in the frustration with traditional subscription agreements and the impact of Transformative Agreements. The desire to move beyond this model was palpable, but so was the need for more open communication about service offerings and costs.  

“While concerns about traditional subscription agreements and a lack of cost transparency were evident, there were also positive discussions about how publishers like Frontiers can work with libraries and researchers to create a more sustainable and equitable OA ecosystem. I came away feeling optimistic about the future of scholarly communication and with a notebook full of ideas to explore with our team”, said Eva Guiducci, Institutional Partnerships Account Development Manager. 

At Frontiers, we believe in the potential for co-creation and collaborative solutions toward a more sustainable future. We understand that rigid pricing models don't reflect the diverse needs of different institutions. We're committed to offering flexible and sustainable options through various institutional agreements. These include innovative new models that consider research output and budget constraints, allowing institutions to publish high-quality OA research without straining their resources. By working collaboratively with our institutional partners, we can create a future where Open Access is truly sustainable for all. 

Consortia taking the lead 

National consortia are emerging as powerful advocates for OA and OS adoption. The general focus is on boosting closer collaborations among national consortia, promoting learning initiatives, and diversifying the OA offer for their researchers. 

This leadership from consortia is essential for driving large-scale change. The successful transition to OA and OS requires collaboration between all stakeholders. Publishers, libraries, research institutions, and funding bodies must work together to create a fair, efficient system that supports researchers. 

Frontiers currently has nine national consortia agreements in addition to another six institutional consortia agreements, allowing researchers across numerous institutions to benefit from streamlined open access publishing, demonstrating our commitment to flexibility.  This range of options allows consortia and individual institutions to discuss and select the most suitable plan based on their specific research focus, budget, and researcher needs.  Ultimately, our goal is to empower institutions and researchers to publish high-quality open access research without limitations, especially as a new generation of researchers emerges that need and demand new publishing solutions. 

"This year, the energy around national consortia taking the lead was genuinely inspiring. Some are already taking bold steps for large-scale OA adoption. Events like LIBER allow us to connect with these stakeholders directly, ensuring our offerings align with the evolving needs of the academic community", highlighted Martina Sollai, Account Development Specialist. 

Standardization is essential 

A significant theme throughout the conference was the need for standardized tools and metrics to measure and monitor OA and OS costs and impact. This standardization would allow institutions to build a stronger case for eliminating unnecessary expenses and investing in community-driven, non-profit initiatives. 

As of 2024, Frontiers has 109 journals with a Journal Impact Factor and 113 with a CiteScore. Still, we know these metrics do not tell the whole story, and a well-rounded assessment considers a variety of factors. That is why we are looking beyond traditional impact measures to empower institutions with a deeper understanding of their publishing partnership.  

We're actively exploring the development of new tools and improving existing platforms to provide institutions with granular data on their researchers' publications with Frontiers. These tools will equip institutions to make informed decisions about their publishing strategies and maximize the impact of their researchers' work. 

Collaboration and innovation 

The 2024 LIBER conference painted a clear picture: open access is the future, but challenges remain. A call for transparency and collaboration echoed throughout the event. However, optimism prevails, stemming from the potential for co-creating sustainable solutions with our partners. This includes predictable institutional plans and standardized metrics to measure and monitor open access costs and impact, all aided by the rise of national consortia as powerful advocates for OA.

This year’s LIBER conference served as a valuable platform for these discussions, and Frontiers is committed to playing a leading role in making this future a reality. 

About Frontiers

Frontiers is a leading research publisher. Our role is to provide the world’s scientists with a rigorous and efficient publishing experience. Powered by custom-built technology, artificial intelligence, and a collaborative peer review, our community journals give experts in more than 1,800 academic fields an open access platform to publish high quality, high impact research.

If you want to learn more about our institutional agreements, contact us at institutions@frontiersin.org or visit our website.