Open Access Policy for Books

STAR Scholars Press is committed to advancing open scholarship by making high-quality academic research widely accessible to readers around the world. Through its open access publishing program, the press supports the dissemination of peer-reviewed scholarly books without financial or technical barriers to access.

https://press.starscholars.org/press/open-access 

Commitment to Open Access

Open access books published by STAR Scholars Press are made freely available online immediately upon publication. Readers may access, download, and share these publications without subscription fees or registration requirements. This model promotes equitable access to knowledge and enables scholars, educators, policymakers, and the public to benefit from academic research.

Licensing

Open access books are distributed under Creative Commons licenses, which clearly define how the work may be used and shared. STAR Scholars Press typically applies one of the following licenses:

  • CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) – allows redistribution, adaptation, and reuse of the work with appropriate attribution to the author(s).

  • CC BY-NC (Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial) – allows reuse and adaptation for non-commercial purposes with proper attribution.

The specific license applied to each publication is clearly indicated on the book’s webpage, in the book’s metadata, and in the front matter of the publication.

Author Rights

Authors retain copyright of their work while granting STAR Scholars Press the right to publish and distribute the book. This approach ensures that authors maintain ownership of their scholarship while benefiting from global dissemination and visibility.

Peer Review and Quality Assurance

All open access books published by STAR Scholars Press undergo the same rigorous editorial evaluation and independent peer review as all other publications of the press. Editorial decisions are based solely on scholarly merit, originality, and contribution to the field.

Publishing Support and Funding

To support editorial services, production, and long-term dissemination, STAR Scholars Press may apply Book Processing Charges (BPCs) for open access publications. These costs help cover services such as peer-review coordination, copyediting, typesetting, metadata preparation, and digital dissemination.

The press actively works with universities, libraries, research sponsors, and institutional partners to support open access publishing. Authors may receive full or partial BPC support through institutional memberships, library funding programs, grants, or other publication support initiatives.

Accessibility and Dissemination

Open access books are hosted on the STAR Scholars Press platform and may also be distributed through scholarly discovery services, indexing systems, and library catalogues to maximize global accessibility and impact.

Commitment to Global Scholarship

Through its open access program, STAR Scholars Press seeks to broaden participation in scholarly communication and amplify diverse voices, including scholars from underrepresented regions and institutions. By removing access barriers, the press aims to support a more inclusive and globally connected academic community.