In order to improve access to published information, the scientific publication system is undergoing a transformation process from subscription models to publication fees or institution-financed models with the goal of Open Access for everyone.

The desired cost transparency requires the availability of publication costs in a standardized, machine-readable format and the automatic exchange for subsequent use.

The German Research Foundation (DFG) commissioned Forschungszentrum Jülich with the task of monitoring the “Open Access Publication Funding” programme. Jülich’s Central Library is responsible for collecting data and therefore developed the “Jülich Reporting Tool”. This tool already offers the possibility to map the “Total Costs of Publishing” (TCoP), including non-eligible costs (e.g. color charges).

In addition, as part of the DFG project openCost, we are developing a standardized metadata schema to gather and retrieve publication costs in a structured form as well as its automatic exchange. In doing so, we want to consider (inter)national expertise and include the internationally renowned projects openAPC and Electronic Journals Library (EZB) in the process. Evidence at publication itself is the base for aggregations at different levels (e.g., institutions, projects, funders).

In the strategy workshop we want to discuss proposals from the previously separate initiatives as well as the data that is necessary for a complete transparency of publication costs with the participants. Furthermore, we want to develop the first steps of a strategy on how to comprehensively collect and share TCoP data while avoiding redundancies.

The workshop is aimed at employees from academic libraries who are dealing with the topic of cost monitoring in the OA transformation process. This also includes institutions that are not funded by the new DFG program.

Click here for to view the program.