The Center for Research Libraries (CRL) and its NERL licensing program are pleased to announce a landmark partnership with the Open Journals Collective (OJC) that will position their members at the forefront of supporting a sustainable, globally aligned, and community-governed open access ecosystem. Beginning in early 2026, CRL-NERL will serve as the primary U.S. billing agent for OJC, offering members streamlined participation in an initiative that backs approximately 300 diamond open access journals across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields.
OJC is a rapidly growing international collective of libraries, scholars, and university-based publishers committed to transforming the scholarly communication landscape. The collective is building a sustainable alternative to commercial publishing models by supporting journals that are owned and governed by their academic communities. OJC's model enables high-quality journals to transition away from subscription-based or Transformative Agreement structures into a fully diamond open access environment, reducing financial barriers while strengthening long-term resilience.
CRL Members and NERL Core members may participate in OJC with no additional consortial fees by completing the Price Request / New Orders Form and selecting desired collection(s). Non-members may also participate for a flat $500 administrative fee to cover overhead costs. No license is required to access the OA titles. CRL has signed a lightweight MOU with OJC to clearly articulate roles and expectations while preserving the openness and flexibility that diamond OA requires. Additional membership details and initial title list are available on CRL's Current Offers.
The initial enrollment period for the 2026 calendar year is open now through Monday, January 5. Institutions may also join on a prorated basis after this initial enrollment period.
"We're delighted to be partnering with CRL to offer OJC membership for CRL members and affiliates," said OJC Director Professor Caroline Edwards. "Libraries that invest in our launch collections will demonstrate leadership in the sector, inspiring others to follow. Working together, we can build a sustainable, more equitable future for academic journals publishing that transitions away from unaffordable commercial models."
About CRL
The Center for Research Libraries is an international consortium of university, college, and independent research libraries collectively building, stewarding, and sharing a wealth of resource materials from all world regions to support inspired research and teaching. CRL's deep and diverse collections are shaped by specialists at major U.S. and Canadian research universities, who work together to identify and preserve collections and content to ensure its long-term integrity and accessibility to researchers worldwide.
About NERL
NERL, a core licensing program of CRL, is a national leader in negotiated licensing. Consisting of a core group of 30 of the most research-intensive institutions in North America, NERL serves as an advocate for the collective power and influence of academic libraries and their parent institutions.
About OJC
The Open Journals Collective is a collective of libraries and university-based publishers changing the way academic research is supported and disseminated. Launching in January 2026 OJC will fund diamond open access journals, free to read and free to publish, through a library membership model that provides financial stability and editorial independence for community-governed journals.