University of California Enters Subscribe-to-Open Agreement with the American Society for Microbiology

By admin / February 5, 2025

This post is adapted from a press release issued by the American Society for Microbiology and the University of California.

The University of California (UC) and the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) are pleased to announce a novel multi-year Subscribe to Open (S2O) agreement that will make it easier and more affordable for UC corresponding authors to publishing open access with ASM.

Under this new agreement, authors affiliated with UC’s subscribing institutions will be able to publish an unlimited number of open access articles within ASM’s 6 primary research subscription-based journals, reducing barriers to publishing. All 10 UC campuses and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will be participating in the agreement.

Beginning in 2025, ASM will transition its 6 primary research subscription-based journals to an S2O subscription model, reinforcing its commitment to open access and advancing its mission to share microbial sciences research with a global audience. The strategic shift to an S2O model, which ASM first announced in 2023, aims to enhance accessibility, foster collaboration and accelerate scientific advancement.

“Our new agreement with the University of California marks a significant milestone in ASM’s transition to S2O,” said Thomas Romano, global sales director at ASM. “This partnership is rooted in our shared core values, strong publishing and editorial engagement and a commitment to invest in new open access publishing models.”

“California Digital Library is pleased to subscribe to ASM Journals on behalf of the 10 campuses of the UC System,” said Miranda Bennett, director of shared collections, California Digital Library. “With ASM’s Subscribe to Open program, the money UC invests in access to important content for our community now supports the OA publication of UC research and contributes to the potential opening of that content to the entire world, helping us advance several important goals at once.”

Under S2O, the accessibility of ASM’s previously subscriber-only content will depend on continued support from subscribers. ASM will establish a minimum sustainability target each year to fund the journals. If the target is met, that year’s content will be made open access. If the target is not met, the content will remain available only to subscribers. Subscribing UC campuses will receive the following benefits:  

ASM’s Open Access Guarantee in which affiliated authors at subscribing institutions can publish open access articles regardless of whether ASM meets its sustainability target.
No article processing charge (APC) for ASM’s 6 S2O Journals, and no publishing caps.
Compliance with open access funder policies, including the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) memorandum.

“At ASM, we’re not only on a mission to advance the microbial sciences, we are committed to a publishing program that serves and reflects the needs of our community,” said Melissa Junior, executive publisher at ASM. “With ASM’s transition to an S2O model, and with the support of the UC system, we are setting the stage for future generations to learn and understand science in a trusted space.”

Through this collaboration, ASM and UC aim to set a new standard for scientific publishing, ensuring that research in the microbial sciences continues to thrive and benefit the global community.

 About the University of California Libraries

Individually and collectively, the University of California (UC) Libraries provide access to the world’s knowledge for the UC campuses and the communities they serve, directly supporting UC’s missions of teaching, research and public service. Open Access publishing supports the mission of the University of California by transmitting knowledge more broadly and facilitating new discoveries that build on the university’s research and scholarly work. UC generates nearly 10 percent of all research output in the United States; half of which is eligible for open access publishing under one of the university’s 17 transformative agreements.  Learn more about Open Access at UC.

About the American Society for Microbiology

The American Society for Microbiology is one of the largest professional societies dedicated to the life sciences and is composed of over 37,000 scientists and health practitioners. ASM’s mission is to promote and advance the microbial sciences. 

ASM advances the microbial sciences through conferences, publications, certifications, educational opportunities and advocacy efforts. It enhances laboratory capacity around the globe through training and resources. It provides a network for scientists in academia, industry and clinical settings. Additionally, ASM promotes a deeper understanding of the microbial sciences to all audiences.