Lightning Talk
Lightning Talk Title:
Driving Engagement and Impact in Scholarly Publishing with Western Open Books
Presenter:
Lucy Walton
Date:
Tuesday 12 May | 11:00am – 11:30am
Lightning Talk Description:
Western Sydney University Library’s Western Open Books publishing initiative is demonstrating how open scholarly texts can transform engagement, equity, and impact in higher education. This presentation explores how librarians can play a leading role in advancing open publishing, drawing on the experiences and outcomes of recent open texts published at Western Sydney University (WSU).
Textbook affordability remains a significant barrier to student learning, with many reporting that cost prevents them from accessing essential materials. Western Open Books provides a sustainable solution by supporting academics to publish peer-reviewed, high-quality texts that are freely accessible to all students, aligning directly with equity and access priorities in higher education. Beyond student success, open texts also create new opportunities for academic engagement, institutional visibility, and global impact.
The presentation will highlight three short case studies showcasing:
• Student Equity – removing cost barriers and improving learning outcomes.
• Academic Engagement – researchers co-creating open texts aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Global Reach – readership and citations extending far beyond WSU, amplifying international impact.
For librarians, Western Open Books opens new avenues to contribute strategically across teaching, research, and impact agendas. These include embedding open texts into curriculum design, guiding copyright and licensing decisions, running open publishing skill sessions, aligning outputs with SDGs, and supporting academics to evidence engagement and innovation in promotions and teaching award applications. Librarians are also uniquely placed to capture and communicate impact through analytics dashboards, strengthening the case for institutional investment in open publishing.
Looking ahead, the initiative will expand through academic and institutional partnerships, enhanced impact measurement aligned with THE Impact Rankings, and international collaborations. Critically, the next phase will also include user surveys to inform research on open publishing practices in Australia, positioning WSU and its librarians as thought leaders in national policy and practice.
This eight-minute presentation will be highly visual and engaging, combining data visualisations, book covers, and global readership maps to tell compelling stories of equity, innovation, and impact. By focusing on practical, librarian-led opportunities and inviting reflection through rhetorical questions, the session will demonstrate how libraries can move beyond support roles to lead transformative change in scholarly communication.
The session will conclude with a clear call to action: librarians across the sector are uniquely positioned to champion open publishing, connect it to institutional goals, and demonstrate measurable outcomes. With Western Open Books, WSU librarians are showing how open publishing can amplify engagement and impact—and how the library profession can drive this change at scale.
Lucy Walton
Scholarly Publishing Consultant, Western Sydney University
Presenter Bio
With over 30 years of experience in academic and corporate libraries, Lucy Walton is dedicated to fostering collaboration and advocating for inclusive publishing practices. She currently serves as the Scholarly Publishing Consultant at Western Sydney University, coordinating the Western Open Books service and leading various initiatives that empower individuals to navigate the dynamic landscape of scholarly communications. Lucy is the author of “A Guide to Creative Commons” an open text available from the Western Open Books platform.