# 2. Diamond Open Access

# What is the Diamond route?

The Diamond route refers to a model of immediate Open Access publication with no publication fees and no subscription fees.

# How can the Diamond route operate without publication or reading fees?

Journals and publishing platforms that operate according to the Diamond model are mostly funded or subsidised by non-commercial sponsors — universities, learned societies, libraries, etc. — and allow authors to retain their copyright through the use of open Creative Commons licences.

Increasingly, these journals benefit from library support to ensure their sustainability. The Cantonal and University Library of Lausanne (BCUL), in collaboration with the University of Lausanne and the University Library of Medicine, has established a Diamond fund to support journals and platforms deemed important to the communities served by these institutions (see details on the [BCUL Diamond Fund page](https://www.bcu-lausanne.ch/blog-librairie/fonds-open-access-diamant-unil-chuv-unisante-hep-vaud/)).

When an author from the University of Lausanne publishes in a Diamond journal, they indirectly contribute to its support, since it will benefit from financial backing from the BCUL.

# How can I tell if a journal follows the Diamond Open Access model, or which journals follow it?

The Directory of Open Access Journals ([DOAJ](https://doaj.org/)) lists many Open Access journals, including those following the Diamond model. By searching for the term "no fees" and applying the "Without fees" filter, it is possible to obtain a list of journals that charge no publication fees.

Through its Diamond Fund, the Cantonal and University Library of Lausanne highlights, in [its thematic selections](https://renouvaud1.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/collectionDiscovery?vid=41BCULAUSA_LIB:VU2&collectionId=81476029340002852&lang=fr), journals that have published researchers from the institutions it serves.

# Can a book be published in Open Access via the Diamond route?

Publishing a book in Open Access via the Diamond route is rarer than for journals. However, some publishers work with the Open Edition infrastructure for the open access publication of their books.

The list can be found on the [Open Edition platform publishers page](https://books.openedition.org/publishers).