Applications are now open for Trailblazers Open Access Books schemes 2025 intake.

Trailblazers is an open access initiative which provides selected early career authors with the opportunity to publish a fully funded Open Access Book with Liverpool University Press.

Trailblazers authors will also participate in a series of publishing 'Masterclasses' which will equip them with the knowledge and skills to support the publication of their work throughout their careers.

The scheme was founded and developed by Lancaster University Library in collaboration with the Library's of the University of Liverpool and the University of Salford and Liverpool University Press. Liverpool John Moores University Library will also be participating in the 2025 iteration of Trailblazers.

All books published through Trailblazers by Liverpool University Press will go through the same rigorous editorial and peer review process as non-Open Access publications and will be published to the same high production standards (including professional copyediting, typesetting, cover design and extensive marketing). Books produced through Trailblazers will also be sold as print copies and authors will receive royalties.

The fundamental principle underlying Open Access is that research should be freely available to the public with no restrictions on who can download and view it. Open Access books are made openly available online to anyone with an internet connection, which increases the opportunities for research to be read, discussed, and cited. They have the potential to reach wider and more diverse audiences who might lack the resources to purchase them otherwise.

Applications to the scheme will be a competitive process. More information about the Trailblazers scheme, including details on eligibility criteria and how to apply, can be found on the Library's Trailblazers webpage.