Scott Vieira, Collection Development Coordinator at Rice University’s Fondren Library, recently interviewed Peggy Glahn for Serials Review about her experience working with libraries to develop Open Access primary source collections in her role as Associate Director of Reveal Digital. Scott and Peggy discussed Reveal Digital’s history and funding model, favorite collections, upcoming publishing activity, and future developments for the digitization of primary sources.

Reveal Digital brings together libraries and archives to publish curated Open Access collections of primary sources, with a focus on the underrepresented voices of 20th century social movements. Scott described its library crowdfunding approach as “a practical and exciting way to overcome the costs and other challenges in digitizing primary sources.” The program has five collections in development that focus on themes such as prison newspapers, civil rights movements, and student activism. 

Peggy expressed gratitude for the strong support and partnership of libraries that have contributed source material or funding to make the collections Open Access. She noted that libraries increasingly choose to work with not-for-profit organizations, aligning their partnership decisions with their mission and reducing barriers to access. According to Peggy, “The enthusiasm for supporting an open access publishing model like ours is what makes the library community unique and a powerful agent of change.”

View the full article from Serials Review. It is also freely available through Rice University’s institutional repository.