The partnership between Duke University Press and the MIT Press will begin in 2026, greatly expanding the reach of quality open access scholarship through Direct to Open
The MIT Press is proud to announce that beginning in 2026, Duke University Press will join our Direct to Open (D2O) program. This collaboration marks the first such partnership with another university press for the D2O program, and reaffirms our shared commitment to open access publishing that is ethical, equitable, and sustainable.
Launched in 2021, D2O is the MIT Press’s bold, innovative framework for open access monographs that shifts publishing from a solely market-based purchase model where individuals and libraries buy single eBooks, to a collaborative, library-supported open access model.
Duke University Press brings their distinguished catalog in the humanities and social sciences to Direct to Open, providing open access to 20 frontlist titles annually alongside the MIT Press’s 80 scholarly books each year. Their participation in the D2O program—which will also include free term access to a paywalled collection of 250 key backlist titles—enhances the range of openly available academic content for D2O’s library partners.
“By expanding the Direct to Open model to include one of the most innovative university presses publishing today, we’re taking a significant step toward building a more open and accessible future for academic publishing,” said Amy Brand, Director and Publisher of the MIT Press. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be building this partnership with Duke University Press. This collaboration will benefit the entire scholarly community, ensuring that more books are made openly available to readers worldwide.”
“We are honored to participate in MIT Press’s dynamic and successful D2O program,” said Dean Smith, Director of Duke University Press. “It greatly expands our open access footprint and serves our mission of making bold and transformational scholarship accessible to the world.”
With Duke University Press’s involvement in 2026, D2O will feature multiple package options, combining content from both the MIT Press and Duke University Press. Participating institutions will have the opportunity to support each press individually, providing flexibility for libraries while fostering collective impact.
For details on how your institution might participate in or support Direct to Open, please visit mitpress.mit.edu/D2O or contact the MIT Press library relations team at mitp-library-relations@mit.edu.
About the MIT Press
Established in 1962, The MIT Press is one of the largest and most distinguished university presses in the world and a leading publisher of books and journals at the intersection of science, technology, art, social science, and design.
About Duke University Press
Duke University Press publishes scholarship that pushes boundaries and centers marginalized communities and voices. Celebrating its 100th year in 2026, Duke University Press publishes more than 150 books and over 60 journals each year in a wide array of subject areas, with a focus on the humanities, social sciences, and mathematics, and a vision to publish material that expands the global societal discussion.