Four Ohio University Press titles among first 100 Open Access Books in JSTOR’s Path to Open Program

Ohio University Press is proud to announce that four of its scholarly monographs are among the first 100 books to become openly available through Path to Open, a groundbreaking initiative from JSTOR designed to transform access to high‑quality academic work

The publications are:

• “Apartheid’s Leviathan: Electricity and the Power of Technological Ambivalence”
• “Ethnicity, Identity, and Conceptualizing Community in Indian Ocean East Africa”
• “Research as More Than Extraction: Knowledge Production and Gender-Based Violence in African Societies”
• “Waterhouses: Landscapes, Housing, and the Making of Modern Lagos”

The Ohio University Press joined Path to Open as part of the inaugural publisher cohort when the program launched in 2023. Path to Open books are available exclusively from participating libraries for three years before transitioning to open access. Currently, the Press has over 30 titles in the system, with new open access releases occurring on a rolling basis in January of each year.

Five weeks after becoming openly available, the first 100 Path to Open titles have already been used more than they were during the entire 2025 year. As of mid-February they have received nearly 18,000 requests—surpassing last year’s usage by nearly 20%. This surge reflects not only higher volume but significantly broader reach, with readership expanding from six to 110 countries and from 252 to more than 1,090 institutions.

“We are thrilled to see our titles included in the first wave of Path to Open books,” said Beth Pratt, director of Ohio University Press. “This initiative toward sustainable open access reflects our shared commitment with JSTOR and other university presses to broaden the reach of scholarly voices—especially those working in fields and regions that are often underrepresented.”

To view the full list of open access Ohio University Press books, visit ohioswallow.com/open-access.