Reveal Digital brings together libraries, historical societies, and community archives to create collections of important primary source content. We make them available Open Access on JSTOR to ensure that they are easy to discover and use, and preserve them for future generations.

We are delighted to announce that the Diversity & Dissent Digitization Fund has reached its cost recovery threshold. Altogether, 61 libraries contributed $2.3 million to enable us to publish four collections of primary source material under the theme of Diversity and Dissent in 20th century America. Now that the publishing costs are covered, we are able to make all the collections Open Access.

Two of the four collections are available for libraries to add to their holdings today: American Prison Newspapers and Student Activism, both rapidly growing collections. Two additional collections, HIV, AIDS and the Arts and Black Struggle & Resilience in Print, WWI-1970s (working title) are in the pre-publishing development stage and will be launched later this year. 

Reflecting on this milestone, Associate Director of Reveal Digital, Peggy Glahn, said, “Reveal Digital was a young, independent organization when we launched the Diversity & Dissent Fund in 2017. The intervening years brought tremendous change and unexpected challenges. Through all these opportunities and obstacles, the library community has remained steadfast in its commitment to Open Access, supporting Reveal Digital’s primary source publishing programs with funding and content. Our Editorial Board provided exceptional guidance, helping us define four unique and important collections. And, as a result of joining ITHAKA in 2019, we were able to cut our publishing costs in half from our initial projections. It has been a surprising journey but one that was well worth taking.”

Although the fundraising is complete, we are still seeking content for all four collections. Contributions to the Diversity & Dissent fund covers all the digitization costs, which we hope eliminates any barriers for potential source contributors to participate. Learn more about contributing content to Reveal Digital collections.