Does It Make a Sound: Are Open Access Monographs Discoverable in Library Catalogs?

This article describes an exploratory study examining the common perception among library-based publishers that open access academic publications (especially monographs) are not readily discoverable in library catalogs. Using titles from the Michigan Publishing imprint, digitalculturebooks, the study provides an empirical basis for evaluating these suspicions. The analysis indicates that only a small percentage of college and university library catalogs in the United States and Canada consistently enable discovery and access for the test sample. However, investigation into the varied discovery configurations of the libraries that do enable discovery and access suggests room for optimism about the future solubility of the problem.