Open Access Book Prizes

Open access publishing offers exciting new opportunities for scholars to share their research with wider audiences. At the same time, it provides readers around the world with access to reliable and thoughtful studies of the human experience. The ACLS Open Access Book Prize and Arcadia Open Access Publishing Award aspire to generate enthusiasm and prestige for this new mode of publication among humanistic scholars. The prizes further aim to raise public awareness of the resources freely available to anyone with an internet connection.

Supported by a generous three-year grant from Arcadia, these prizes recognize and reward the authors and publishers of exceptional, innovative, and open humanities scholarship. The winning title in each category receives dual awards. Authors receive the $20,000 ACLS Open Access Book Prize. Publishers receive the Arcadia Open Access Publishing Award in the amount of $30,000 to support forthcoming open access books. Learn more about the competition here.

Along with its promise, open access publication also brings significant challenges. Funding streams, distribution models, book production workflows, perceptions of prestige—all are disrupted in the transition to an open publishing environment. At this crucial moment of change, the ACLS and Arcadia open book prizes recognize and encourage equitable and inclusive accessibility in all its dimensions. Providing free access to humanistic scholarship is but one step.

Learn more about the 2024 and 2025 winners and finalists. Winners for the 2026 competition will be announced this fall.

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