ASM secures open access for six journals through S2O success
The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) has met its sustainability target for the 2026 subscription year, following the successful launch of its Subscribe to Open (S2O) model in 2025. As a result, its six primary research journals will continue to be published open access in 2026, supporting wider accessibility, collaboration and innovation across the microbial sciences.
As one of the largest society publishers, ASM said the milestone reflects strong support from libraries, consortia and institutional partners across academic, government and corporate sectors, alongside continued engagement from its membership.
“The S2O program is central to ASM’s mission to advance the microbial sciences,” said Melissa Junior, Chief Publishing Officer at ASM. “We are deeply grateful to our global partners and to our members, whose collective support enables us to open critical research to the world. Their engagement reinforces the essential role of society publishers in shaping a sustainable future for global knowledge-sharing.”
With the 2026 target achieved, all six ASM S2O journals will allow authors at any institution, regardless of subscription status, to publish open access and comply with funder requirements. ASM said the model removes financial barriers to publishing and access, enabling broader participation in the global research community, particularly for early-career researchers and those with limited resources.