Inspiration, Launch, and Challenges of T&F’s Pledge to Open Pilot
Sponsored by Taylor & Francis
Recorded on 06/12/2024
Posted in The Authority File
Episode 388
In the second episode of this four-part series, Jamie Hutchins, Director of Open Research, Americas for Taylor & Francis Group, digs into T&F’s Pledge to Open, a collective funding pilot that aims to publish open access books focused on global issues. Detailing the brainstorming and launch of the program, Jamie discusses the publisher’s decision to support open book publishing and the pilot’s ties to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our guest walks through the various business models T&F looked at for inspiration and how the SDGs work as a unifying force editorially and to recruit institutions. To close, Jamie explores the challenges of a commercial publisher pursuing a collective model and a sustainable level of investment for the pilot.
About the guest:

Jamie Hutchins
Director of Open Research, Americas
Taylor & Francis Group
Jamie Hutchins has been the Director of Open Research, Americas for Taylor & Francis Group since May 2023 and leads a team focused on working with organizations and institutions that are engaging with open access and wider open research initiatives. His team is a specialist overlay on top of T&F’s primary liaison points with the library community which encompasses as diverse range of products and challenges. They act as a bridge from first discussions and familiarization, to developing specific agreements (including transformational agreements) and also work directly with partners to ensure impact and success from their investments.
With a diverse range of publishing experience spanning 25 years, Jamie has worked in for-profit and non-profit environments in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas. Much of his career has been defined by building partnerships and collaboration across sectors.
