Emerald Publishing Reassures Libraries of Continued Access Following Wiley Acquisition

22 October 2026

Emerald Publishing has reassured academic libraries that existing subscriptions, access arrangements and customer support will remain unchanged following its acquisition by Wiley, one of the world's leading academic publishers.

In an update circulated to librarians on 21 October 2026, Emerald confirmed that institutions can continue using their existing agreements and contacting their usual support teams as the two publishers work through the integration process.

Wiley announced the acquisition on 2 June 2026 in a transaction valued at approximately £337 million (US$452 million). The purchase brought Emerald's portfolio of nearly 500 journals, thousands of books and case studies into Wiley's publishing business, expanding its combined journal portfolio to approximately 2,500 titles.

Emerald is known for publishing research in business, management, education, engineering, economics, information management and other social sciences. Its publications support academic work ranging from classroom teaching and postgraduate research to institutional policy development.

The acquisition is relevant to university libraries because changes in scholarly publishing ownership can raise questions about the continuity of journal access, subscription agreements and the availability of previously published research.

Emerald has clarified that researchers and authors will retain access to their published articles and book chapters, while existing copyright agreements, licensing arrangements and editorial processes remain in place.

The publisher has also indicated that no changes are currently planned to journal scopes, editorial boards or peer review procedures as a result of the acquisition.

These assurances are useful to Busitema University researchers and lecturers who use or publish in Emerald journals, including those working in education, management, engineering and information sciences. Researchers preparing manuscripts can continue consulting the publisher's existing submission requirements, while those using Emerald publications can check access through the Library's available electronic resources.

Librarians responsible for electronic resource management can also use the announcement to understand how the integration may affect subscription administration, access support and communication with the publisher. Emerald has stated that institutional contacts and existing service arrangements will remain in place, with further updates communicated as integration decisions are made.

Although Wiley and Emerald now operate under common ownership, their journal portfolios remain available separately. The publishers have not announced an immediate move to a single content platform.

The acquisition brings together two established scholarly publishers, with Wiley expecting Emerald's publications to strengthen its coverage of business, economics, finance and the social sciences.

Academic libraries and researchers can consult Emerald's official information page for further details about subscriptions, publishing arrangements and the integration process.

 

Official sources

• Emerald Publishing — Joining Wiley Frequently Asked Questions
• Wiley's Official Acquisition Announcement — 2 June 2026