Our collaborative model for advancing open access ebooks
Path to Open is a groundbreaking Books at JSTOR initiative that supports the transition of high-quality scholarly monographs to open access at scale.
~50
Participating presses
300
Monographs added annually
700
Current titles spanning 60 disciplines
Expand bibliodiversity, and ensure equitable access for all
As a mission-driven nonprofit, JSTOR designed Path to Open to increase access to diverse ideas, support university presses and select academic publishers, invest in authors, and help libraries acquire and access affordable, high-quality frontlist titles.
- Libraries can license the full set of frontlist titles through JSTOR or GOBI Library Solutions/Mosaic, and two to three years after publication, each book becomes open access (OA) to benefit readers all over the world
- During the delay-to-open period, licensed Path to Open books are available only to participating libraries
- Libraries that invest in Path to Open help authors reach a global audience, advancing the equity of access to underserved researchers around the world
About the program
- Developed in partnership with the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), University of Michigan Press, and The University of North Carolina Press
- Offers participating libraries access to ~900 licensed titles, plus a growing open access collection with 100 titles already open, and 300 more becoming open annually
- Uses a community-supported model where libraries gain early access and titles transition to open access after 2–3 years, enabling sustainable open access at scale
The impact of open access
Comparing full-year licensed access (2025) with the first three months of open access (2026)
- Usage increased by 441%, from 13,305 to 71,924 item requests
- Access expanded by 787%, from 228 to 2,023 institutions
- Global reach grew by 1,200%, from 12 to 156 countries
Path to Open usage data. Item requests for the first 100 open titles, comparing full-year 2025 (licensed access via participating institutions) with January-March 2026, following their transition to open access.
Insights and successes from Path to Open’s growing community
Turning the Page on Path to Open: From Pilot to Program
Hear JSTOR leaders and community members reflect on key learnings, impact, and what’s next for Path to Open.
Newly opened Path to Open titles surpass 2025 usage in just five weeks
Five weeks after becoming openly available, the first 100 Path to Open titles have already surpassed their total 2025 usage—when access was limited to participating institutions. With usage up more than 580%, readership has expanded from six to 113 countries, underscoring the immediate global impact of open access for scholarly books.
First 100 path to open books now available open access worldwide on JSTOR
The first 100 Path to Open books are now free to read worldwide on JSTOR—proving a community-funded model can expand access, sustain presses, and amplify scholarly impact.
Celebrating 100 Path to Open books becoming open access
Path to Open has reached a major milestone: the first 100 scholarly books have officially flipped to open access on JSTOR. This post celebrates what that moment represents for libraries, publishers, and authors working together to expand global access to high-quality academic monographs.
Explore the latest titles in JSTOR’s Path to Open program November 2025
Explore new Path to Open titles on JSTOR supporting teaching and research. View November 2025 releases and access options.
Sustainable books models and digital stewardship at Charleston 2025
At this year’s Charleston Conference, JSTOR hosted two lunch events. Highlights included updates on Path to Open, Publisher Collections, and JSTOR Seeklight’s growing role in AI-assisted metadata generation.
Syracuse University librarians, faculty, and publisher: Collaborating for tomorrow with Path to Open
This webinar featured Syracuse University speakers discussing how Path to Open supports authors, strengthens bibliodiversity, and expands global access to scholarship through a sustainable open-access model.
Explore the latest titles in JSTOR’s Path to Open program October 2025
Explore new Path to Open titles on JSTOR supporting teaching and research. View October 2025 releases and access options.
A new chapter for scholarship: Syracuse University and Path to Open
Learn how Syracuse University is advancing open access and bibliodiversity through its participation in JSTOR’s Path to Open, supporting sustainable publishing and expanding access to scholarship worldwide.
Community voices
The Path to Open mission has allowed libraries to spend their funds in a way that aligns with the values of our organizations and our profession. We, as librarians, want to provide access to information, to a wide diversity of information on whatever is sought out. Expanding access to this collection through open access publishing accomplishes that goal.”
This is a smart investment. The rest of the world will get this content eventually—the fact that it’s open after three years makes it that much easier to invest in.”
By next year, my book will be available free of charge—and that to me is quite exciting. I want to see what happens!”
A lot of very smart people have been trying to figure out how to make open access books sustainable at scale. Path to Open is one of the most promising experiments that I’ve seen.”
Small presses are very vulnerable right now. There’s a lot going on…Path to Open allows us to sustain our publishing efforts while ensuring that important scholarship reaches the widest possible audience.”
Our founding partners
Participating university presses
Join the growing list of university presses that have chosen the path to open access, including the University of Michigan Press, The University of North Carolina Press, The Ohio State University Press, SUNY Press, Vanderbilt University Press, Liverpool University Press, Manchester University Press, and other publishers from around the world.
Participating libraries
Join the growing list of participating libraries, including fifteen libraries from the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA): Indiana University, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, Rutgers University–New Brunswick, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, University of Iowa, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and the University of Chicago.
Access today. Invest in tomorrow.
Join Path to Open to expand your library’s access to new scholarly works and strengthen sustainable publishing for the long term.
Integrated with Books at JSTOR
Path to Open is part of Books at JSTOR, which helps libraries streamline acquisition, expand access and discovery, and maximize the value of their collections. The program offers reliable, barrier-free access to ebooks—unlimited, DRM-free, and perpetual use—across flexible acquisition models. All titles are fully integrated with scholarly journals, research reports, images, and multimedia on JSTOR, and a partnership with OCLC provides high-quality MARC records.
Interested in ebook acquisition and access beyond Path to Open? Books at JSTOR offers a variety of models to meet your needs, including Publisher Collections, Evidence-Based Acquisition, Demand-Driven Acquisition, and subject packages alongside open access.
Join the Path to Open community
Expand access. Strengthen scholarship.
See how Path to Open connects libraries, presses, and researchers through shared access to high-impact frontlist titles that become open—while sustaining the future of academic publishing.