Maurice York
Vice President for Library Programs
Big Ten Academic Alliance
Jeffrey Spies
Contract and Data Specialist
Big Ten Academic Alliance
From 2021 to 2023, the libraries of the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) paved the way for a dramatic increase in open access publishing by Big Ten authors—from 38% to 86% open in library-negotiated agreements. This increase was accomplished by innovating the Open Publishing Agreement (OPA) model, a strategy centered on the author experience: no fees, no caps, and no hassle. This values-based approach has delivered significant benefits for author rights, widespread author adoption, and measurable increases in research impact. The briefing will describe BTAA’s current effort to explore the network of data from Big Ten publications—citations, authors, disciplines, and institutions—to further analyze the impact of these agreements: lowering barriers, expanding opportunities for authors, expediting knowledge sharing, and advancing research. Utilizing network visualizations, BTAA is examining indicators of impact such as shifts in citation patterns and global engagement that are directly evident from this initiative. The briefing also covers a strategic negotiation approach, including practical elements under development such as an assessment rubric, license agreement terms, and evidence metrics.
