TL;DR
The Association for Computing Machinery has made its full corpus in the ACM Digital Library openly accessible to all as of January 1, 2026. The library will be offered in a free Basic edition and a paid Premium edition with additional tools and services.
What happened
On January 1, 2026, ACM changed the access model for its Digital Library so that all publications and associated artifacts are available open access. The organization says the shift follows extensive consultations with authors, SIG leaders, editorial boards, libraries and research institutions and reflects broad community demand for more discoverable and reusable computing research. ACM will publish its content in two editions: a no-cost Basic edition providing access to the entire corpus, and a Premium edition that bundles extra services and analytical tools intended for deeper discovery and organizational use. ACM leadership framed the move as a major milestone for the association and for the computing field, and signaled a commitment to supporting contributors through the transition. More details about the change and its implementation are available on ACM’s website.
Why it matters
- Open access removes paywalls, making ACM research more readily available to researchers, practitioners and the public.
- Greater discoverability and reusability of artifacts could accelerate follow-on work and interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Libraries, universities and companies may reassess how they access and budget for computing literature with a two-tier offering.
- A large, curated open corpus from a major professional organization can change how educational and research communities source literature.
Key facts
- Effective date: January 1, 2026.
- Scope: All ACM publications and related artifacts in the ACM Digital Library are designated open access.
- Editions: The Digital Library will be offered in a free Basic edition and a Premium edition with added services and tools.
- Stakeholders consulted: authors, SIG leaders, editorial boards, libraries and research institutions, per ACM.
- ACM leadership described the change as a major milestone for the organization and the computing community.
- ACM said the goal is to make the transition smooth and supportive for contributors.
- ACM positions the move as placing a large, curated body of computing knowledge into an openly accessible library.
What to watch next
- Details on Premium edition features, pricing and institutional options — not confirmed in the source.
- Specific licensing terms and reuse rights applied to the newly open content — not confirmed in the source.
- How libraries, conferences and authors will adapt workflows and budgets in response to the new access model — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Open access: A publishing model that makes scholarly literature freely available online without paywalls, often with specified reuse rights.
- ACM Digital Library: An online collection of publications, proceedings and artifacts produced by the Association for Computing Machinery.
- Basic edition: A cost-free tier or version of a digital service that provides standard access to content or features.
- Premium edition: A paid tier or version of a digital service that typically includes additional tools, analytics or organizational features beyond the basic offering.
- SIG: Special Interest Group; a community within a professional organization focused on a particular technical area or topic.
Reader FAQ
Is all ACM content now open access?
Yes. According to ACM, all publications and related artifacts in the ACM Digital Library are open access as of January 1, 2026.
Does the ACM charge article processing charges (APCs) to authors?
Not confirmed in the source.
What does the Premium edition include and does it require a subscription?
ACM says the Premium edition offers additional services and tools for deeper analysis and organizational use, but specific features and subscription details are not confirmed in the source.
Where can I find more information about ACM’s open access transition?
ACM has published information about the change on its website; the announcement references a web page on ACM.org with further details.
ACM is Now Fully Open Access! Happy New Year to all! And with the new year comes a new era for the Association for Computing Machinery. As of January 1,…
Sources
- ACM Is Now Open Access
- ACM's Transition to Full Open Access – January 1, 2026
- ACM To Make Its Entire Digital Library Open Access …
- ACM Open, ACM Digital Library, and publishing with ACM
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