Global cooperation in not-for-profit open access publishing

A significant increase in open access publishing activities based on not-for-profit business models can be observed in Europe and across the world, which in principle do not charge authors for publishing. They are the result of technological advancements leading to shifting roles of actors involved in scholarly communication. Their offering is presented as an alternative to commercially oriented publishing, or is a continuation of long-term traditions of institutional and mission-oriented publishing in a new digitally enabled context. Such services enable inclusivity for all authors, regardless of affiliation and funding, and support a healthy diversification in the scholarly publishing ecosystem. Research institutions and their libraries are often involved in their operation. In some countries, they operate at the national level and are frequently supported by national funding agencies. In many cases, such initiatives have evolved into robust and reliable services which enjoy the trust of researchers.