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Springer Nature has expanded its collaboration with Qatar National Library to launch the first Open Access (OA) book agreement in the Middle East. This partnership builds on their shared vision for increasing research accessibility and advancing knowledge, following their joint Transformative Agreement in 2019.
Under the new agreement, authors affiliated with higher education institutions or non-profit research institutes in Qatar can receive funding for book processing charges (BPC) when publishing OA books with Springer Nature. This is the publisher's eighth OA book agreement and its fourth institutional one. With OA books being downloaded ten times more frequently and cited 2.4 times more often than non-OA books, this agreement is a significant step in helping researchers from participating institutions reach a broader audience. The agreement covers all Springer Nature book imprints and will last for three years.
Asdaa Kotani, Vice President of Institutional Sales, stated: “We have supported Qatar’s research community since 2012, and our partnership with Qatar National Library began with the Middle East’s first Transformative Agreement in 2019. We are delighted to announce this OA book agreement, highlighting our commitment to promoting a sustainable open research environment. This partnership broadens the reach and sustainability of OA publishing for books within the region and across Springer Nature's diverse portfolio.”
Dr. Alwaleed Alkhaja, Head of Open Access and Copyright, commented, “Today marks a significant milestone in the Library's mission to preserve our heritage and enable the people of Qatar to positively impact society through learning and discovery. Open access is central to our mission of providing equal access to information and promoting research and knowledge exchange. Like our 2019 transformative agreement, the Qatar National Library consortium is the first in the Middle East to implement such an OA agreement. We are excited about this open access books agreement and hope it supports more OA book publications in Qatar, particularly in the humanities.
