Coop-OA (cooperative OA)

Cooperative Open Access (Coop-OA) is a relatively new and innovative approach to scholarly publishing, which aims to support the principles of open access while addressing some of the challenges and issues faced by the traditional scholarly publishing system. Coop-OA involves a collaborative and community-based model of publishing, where researchers, scholars, institutions, and other stakeholders work together to produce and disseminate high-quality scholarly research.

In this article, we will discuss what Coop-OA is, its origins, and its key features, as well as the benefits and challenges associated with this approach to scholarly publishing.

Origins of Coop-OA

Coop-OA is a response to the current state of scholarly publishing, which is dominated by a small number of commercial publishers who control access to much of the world's scientific and scholarly research. These publishers charge high subscription fees for access to their journals, which can be prohibitively expensive for many libraries and institutions, particularly in low-income countries. This has led to a situation where much of the world's scientific and scholarly research is inaccessible to the majority of the global population, including researchers, students, and the general public.

Open access (OA) publishing has emerged as a potential solution to this problem, by making scholarly research freely available to everyone online. However, the OA movement has faced its own set of challenges, including the cost of article processing charges (APCs) for authors, the quality of OA journals, and the sustainability of OA publishing models.

Coop-OA aims to address these challenges by promoting a collaborative and community-based model of scholarly publishing, which is both cost-effective and sustainable.

Key features of Coop-OA

Coop-OA is based on a number of key principles and features, including:

Community-based governance

Coop-OA involves a collaborative and community-based model of governance, where researchers, scholars, and institutions work together to manage and support the publishing process. This can include the establishment of editorial boards, peer review committees, and other decision-making bodies, which are responsible for the selection, review, and publication of scholarly research.

Non-profit, low-cost publishing

Coop-OA publishing is typically non-profit and low-cost, with a focus on making scholarly research freely available to everyone online. This can involve the use of open-source publishing platforms, which are free to use and can be customized to meet the needs of individual communities and disciplines.

Author ownership and control

Coop-OA emphasizes author ownership and control over the publishing process, including the retention of copyright by authors. This means that authors are free to distribute, share, and reuse their research as they see fit, without the need for permission from publishers or other intermediaries.

Quality assurance

Coop-OA emphasizes quality assurance, including rigorous peer review and editorial oversight. This ensures that published research meets high standards of scholarship and contributes to the advancement of knowledge in a particular field.

Collaboration and community-building

Coop-OA emphasizes collaboration and community-building, bringing together researchers, scholars, and institutions from different parts of the world to work together on the production and dissemination of high-quality scholarly research. This can involve the sharing of knowledge, resources, and expertise, as well as the development of networks and partnerships that can support the sustainability and growth of Coop-OA publishing.

Benefits of Coop-OA

Coop-OA offers a number of benefits over traditional and other forms of open access publishing, including:

Cost-effectiveness

Coop-OA publishing is typically low-cost or even cost-free, making it accessible to a wider range of researchers and institutions, particularly those in low-income countries.

Sustainability

Coop-OA publishing models are typically more sustainable than traditional commercial publishing models, as they do not rely on subscription fees or APCs

Increased access and visibility

Coop-OA publishing provides free and open access to scholarly research, increasing its visibility and impact. This can lead to increased citations, collaborations, and opportunities for dissemination and outreach.

Community engagement and participation

Coop-OA publishing fosters community engagement and participation, encouraging researchers, scholars, and institutions to work together to produce and disseminate high-quality scholarly research.

Empowerment of authors

Coop-OA publishing empowers authors by giving them ownership and control over the publishing process, including the retention of copyright. This allows authors to distribute, share, and reuse their research as they see fit, without the need for permission from publishers or other intermediaries.

Quality assurance

Coop-OA publishing places a strong emphasis on quality assurance, ensuring that published research meets high standards of scholarship and contributes to the advancement of knowledge in a particular field.

Challenges of Coop-OA

While Coop-OA offers many benefits over traditional and other forms of open access publishing, it also faces some challenges, including:

Limited funding

Coop-OA publishing models often rely on limited funding, which can make it difficult to sustain the publishing process over the long term.

Limited visibility

Coop-OA publishing may not have the same level of visibility and reputation as traditional commercial publishers, making it more difficult for researchers to get their work noticed and cited.

Limited capacity

Coop-OA publishing may not have the same level of capacity or resources as traditional commercial publishers, making it more difficult to manage the publishing process, including peer review, copyediting, and production.

Limited disciplinary coverage

Coop-OA publishing may be limited in its disciplinary coverage, as it may be difficult to establish and maintain publishing communities across a wide range of disciplines and subject areas.

Conclusion

Coop-OA offers a promising approach to scholarly publishing, one that promotes collaboration, community-building, and the principles of open access. While it faces some challenges, including limited funding and capacity, it also offers many benefits, including cost-effectiveness, sustainability, increased access and visibility, and empowerment of authors. As the scholarly publishing landscape continues to evolve, Coop-OA will likely play an increasingly important role in supporting the production and dissemination of high-quality scholarly research.