Managing Cost-neutral Read and Publish Agreements at the University of Houston

As open access (OA) adoption accelerated across scholarly publishing, academic institutions confronted the challenge of creating financially sustainable models to support OA dissemination. Transformative agreements have emerged as a strategy, yet they often require financial support that many libraries cannot absorb. This paper presents a case study of how the University of Houston Libraries (UHL) supports open publishing through cost‑neutral read‑and‑publish (R&P) agreements, offering an alternative model that expands OA publishing opportunities without increasing expenditures. The study outlines the primary criteria guiding UHL’s decisions to enter R&P agreements, describes the management and performance of its two existing agreements, and analyzes 2025 publishing activity and estimated cost savings achieved through these arrangements. The paper also discusses challenges encountered in implementing cost‑neutral OA models. These findings illustrate how targeted, cost‑neutral R&P agreements can serve as a viable OA strategy for institutions seeking to broaden access while maintaining fiscal responsibility.