Sustainable Scholarship
Scholarly publishing is in a state of near constant change. KU Libraries is committed to serving the research & publishing needs of students, faculty, and staff by participating in the movement towards a more sustainable scholarly future.
Big Deals at KU Libraries
"Big Deals" are comprehensive licensing agreements through which libraries provide access to all or a large portion of a publisher’s journal titles for a predictable cost.
The volume and cost of scholarly resources have steadily increased for decades, alongside the bundling of journal titles into "big deals." While some publishers and vendors realize substantial profit, the libraries' collection budget has not increased at a similar rate. These factors combine to create what we call a crisis in library resources, leading to diminished access and reducing our ability to purchase other materials. Many institutions are reevaluating these kinds of agreements and adapting to support researcher needs as access to scholarly resources evolves.
Open Access
Open Access (OA) is a response to the crisis in scholarly communication, and an opportunity to increase the impact of scholarship and sustainability. OA refers to scholarly literature that is digital, online, and free of most copyright and reuse restrictions.
Open Access and Support
Open Access Agreements and APC discounts
Open Access Investments and Commitments
Research Data Management
Scholarly Communication Services
Collection Management
Frequently Asked Questions
Collections Philosophy
