Most frequently Asked Questions
FAQ for members of the Consortium
What’s my benefit if I support OLEcon financially?
With your financial contribution to OLEcon you support non-commercial, free-of-charge Open Access. You contribute to more bibliodiversity and help reduce inequalities in the publishing system. Diamond Open Access means that access is no longer restricted to people who belong to a financially strong institution. With your support you have a share in realising one of the key demands of current science policy: to support non-commercial, scholar-led publication outlets and infrastructures.
Other advantages of consortial funding for open access include simple administration on the part of the institutions and relatively low costs. With the Open Library Economics ejournals package, the entire journal package is supported for one year with a contribution that, even in the highest tier, is still lower than an average APC for a single article in Gold Open Access journals.
Your contribution will be honoured quite directly: Your institution will be named as a supporter in the journals’ imprints and on the OLEcon website.
Who is responsible for the organisation of the consortium?
The ZBW manages the consortium and makes invoices to the supporters.
What is included in the financial contribution?
The financial contribution exclusively finances the OLEcon journals. Journals submit a cost budget during the OLEcon application procedure, from which results the amount of the required partial funding from the consortium. The ZBW bears the administrative costs of the consortium.
Does the amount to be financed by the consortium remain the same every year?
No, for two reasons. Firstly, the consortium is co-financed by BMBF project funds in the years 2024-2026.The proportion of project funds decreasing each year. Secondly, the journal package is growing dynamically. Every year, new journals have the opportunity to apply for funding from OLEcon. With more journals in the package, the contribution to the co-financing of the consortium also increases.
Is it possible to receive a publication list for my organisation?
Yes, this is generally possible. Contact us and we will be happy to send you the relevant lists by e-mail.
How is the financial support for the consortium calculated?
The costs for participation in the consortium vary depending on the size of the institution. The classification takes place in three so-called ‘tiers’, based on the number of FTEs of academic staff and students. The current annual contributions are announced at the beginning of each pledging round. They can also be found in the product data sheet, which can be downloaded from the website.
Can my organisation be categorised outside the estimated tiers?
It is possible for you to be categorised outside the tiers. Please complete the relevant field in the participation form. If you have any questions, please contact us via olecon@zbw-online.eu.
Are the FTEs of the relevant departments or the total FTEs of the organisation used to calculate the tiers?
If you agree to participate via LAS:eR, the number of FTEs entered there will be accepted. If you only wish to participate with your department, please contact us by e-mail at olecon@zbw-online.eu and let us know the relevant FTEs.
Does my organisation receive added value if it makes a financial contribution? Is the financial contribution without added value not to be understood as a donation?
The Open Library Economics journals can only be published sustainably in Diamond Open Access if sufficient supporters can be found to fund them. Only then will reading and publishing remain free of charge (no article fees).
This is NOT a donation, but co-financing for Diamond Open Access.
A legal assessment of the budgetary categorisation of the co-financing of Open Access is currently being developed in the BMBF-funded ELADOAH project. Initial results have already been communicated in presentations (you can switch on englisch subtitles, the presentaion is held on german).
How can I justify to the finance department that my organisation is participating financially in the consortium?
Support for non-commercial Diamond Open Access is currently supported by science policy. This is because free access to publishing and reading enables scientific exchange without access barriers.
It can often be an argument if researchers from your institution publish in journals in the OLEcon package or are active as part of the editorial board. We will be happy to send you a list of publications on request.
So does Diamond Open Access envisage that the costs will be borne by organisations that are less selfish? Or, conversely, can the Diamond model not be sustainable if nobody pays?
The Diamond Open Access model for journals does not include any costs for individual readers or authors. Nevertheless, there are of course costs for hosting, editing, website, etc. With Diamond Open Access, these costs are covered by alternative financing models.
In the case of the Open Library Economics (OLEcon) journals, this is the consortial financing model. Such collaborative funding models for open access are already being successfully implemented in other subject areas – e.g. since ten years by the Open Library of the Humanities or by the KOALA model since 2021. Consortial funding is seen as particularly sustainable due to its distribution across several institutions, all of which make a small contribution.
In fact, with this type of joint funding, there is the issue of ‘free riding’, i.e. institutions that use the journals without contributing to the funding. However, due to the proven success of other OA consortia, this is not a cause for concern.
Last but not least, numerous science policy papers have been published in the last two years that emphasise the importance of Diamond Open Access models for the diversity of the publishing system and call for them to be supported (e.g. Action Plan for Diamond Open Access from Science Europe; Recommendations on the Transformation of academic Publishing).
FAQ for Editors
My journal does not belong to the field of economics. Can I still apply?
Application is open only to journals from economics and from related disciplines. The decisive criterium is the collection profile of the ZBW. Journals that fit the collection profile are usually indexed in the ZBW search engine EconBiz. If you are unsure, you’re welcome to contact us.
Can I apply to OLEcon with an idea for founding a new journal?
Yes, newly-founded journals can apply. Please get in touch with us to discuss the details of further planning.
What happens after transitional funding by OLEcon ends? Must I, as editor, worry that my journal can no longer be financed?
The ZBW’s engagement for Diamond Open Access with OLEcon does not end when the transitional funding stops. The ZBW as an information infrastructure institution organises a collaborative funding of the OLEcon journals and will also act as a main sponsor of the consortial funding.
Who takes over the sponsorship of science-led journals?
For an application to OLEcon, it is important that the journal remains in the hands of science or can return to the hands of science. There are several conceivable constellations and legal forms for science-led journals. The non-commercial orientation is important. Please contact us if you require further information on this.
What are the advantages of switching to Diamond Open Access with OLEcon?
At OLEcon, the decision-making authority over the journals remains with the scientific community. This means that the editors of science-led journals can act and decide independently.
Diamond Open Access ensures greater equality in the publication system. This is because Diamond Open Access does not charge fees for authors or readers.
Diamond Open Access journals are more visible to users because they are more accessible. Articles that appear in Diamond Open Access are downloaded and read more frequently than articles that appear behind a paywall.
The journal is not yet listed in the DOAJ. What can I do to change this?
The application process at DOAJ is very transparent. The application form and application guidelines can be found on the DOAJ website. In principle, the criteria for the (technical) quality standards in the OLEcon application process are also based on the DOAJ criteria, among others. The publication service provider usually handles the application to DOAJ for the journal.
