Introduction: A guide of guides

There already exist a number of richly detailed guides, reports, and resources that provide valuable insights about the practicalities of launching an Open Access press. However, one of the challenges for Open Access presses, particularly if they are new, smaller or run by academics, is that the sheer amount of information already available can be overwhelming.

Part of the aim of this resource, therefore, is to help publishers better navigate some of the key insights that have already been compiled, whether in other toolkits or in some of the wider sets of reports and resources that have been produced in recent years. Specifically, we aim to pull out those insights that are particularly relevant to smaller and scholar-led Open Access publishers. In this respect, the toolkit is a kind of guide of guides.

There are, though, some issues and challenges that are specific to smaller and scholar-led publishers. So in many sections, we supplement existing resources with further information, as well as advice about where to prioritise. This toolkit is produced by the Open Book Collective team, as part of the COPIM project. We draw on the extensive experience of the COPIM team in sections, as well as integrating advice and case studies from publishers that they have provided to us directly.