A Journal by Astronomers, for Astronomers: A&A, Open Access, and Community Values

Astronomy & Astrophysics (A&A) is among the world's largest and most renowned astronomy journals, in which astronomers retain control over editorial direction, governance, and publishing values. Established as a journal "by astronomers for astronomers," it remains closely tied to the research community it serves. This talk will reflect on how that identity has shaped the journal's approach to Open Access, particularly through the Subscribe to Open (S2O) model, a community-supported initiative that enables equitable OA without charging authors Article Processing Charges (APCs). In an ecosystem increasingly influenced by commercial dynamics and rising APCs, S2O enables libraries to support a sustainable, inclusive model of Open Access that serves the research community without shifting costs to authors. Drawing on data from A&A's recent survey of nearly 3,000 astronomers, presented at the European Astronomical Society (EAS) meeting in Cork, I will share researchers' views on Open Access, the importance of journal quality, how impact should be assessed, and the appropriate role of AI in publishing. The results show that researchers consistently prioritise journal quality above all other factors, and overwhelmingly identify high APCs and a lack of funding as the main obstacles to Open Access. These findings reaffirm the principles on which A&A is founded and offer valuable context as the astronomy community considers how to sustain and develop its publishing infrastructure in an increasingly commercialised environment.