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Next week I will be starting my new (dream) job @uclpress. I have worked in academic book publishing for 10 years & throughout that time, I have watched the discussion & practice around OA evolve...
As far back as my first job in publishing, I recall how senior leaders intended for OA to form a key part of editorial planning for the HSS list. Ultimately, it didn't materialise in that way & the hesitation for commercial academic publishers to go full OA is understandable.
Even with subsidies i.e. BPCs, OA doesn't offer the profit growth many non-UP businesses are looking for. The benefits to HE institutions & researchers are obvious, the work is globally accessible & download rates speak for themselves.
There are of course many challenges (funding usually the biggest, but also infrastructure, technological innovation) & in some cases it requires a change in the institutions culture to decide to take this path.
I don't mean to sound overly preachy, I recognise it's not for everyone, but even having a model of what full OA publishing could look like, helps you decide if it's something that could fit with your institutions values & culture.
But over the years I've seen @uclpress, with the support & backing of @ucl pioneer this space & take a leadership role in the UK, demonstrating how HE institutions can create & maintain a successful, fully OA publishing programme & offer accessible download metrics for authors.
The past year has further emphasised the limitations of the current print & eBook licensing options for HE institutions. Teaching & learning resources, across disciplines, are in need of rapid developments in OA.
@uclpress published The Textbook of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery in Aug 2016, it has been downloaded 98,683 times in 194 countries. A larger reach than print publishing could have achieved in that time. https://www.uclpress.co.uk/collections/science/products/83153
I'm so pleased to be joining the @uclpress team as Textbook Manager to establish a fully OA textbook programme. I look forward to collaborating & working closely w/ UCL library, academics & students to produce high-quality, user-friendly & accessible UG course textbooks.
I"ll keep you updated on progress & developments & hope you will continue to follow me on this exciting journey 
