Setting the standard: OpenAthens Compass awarded platinum for eighth consecutive year in 2026 Modern Library Awards
OpenAthens scored an impressive 9.12 out of 10 in LibraryWorks' 2026 Modern Library Awards. Our flagship product, OpenAthens Compass, has received this distinction every year since 2019 – with 2020 standing out as the year we took home Product of the Year award after also securing the top platinum distinction.
It's hardly a surprise that OpenAthens scored so well. They've been a strong force in the industry since their company entered the market in 1995.
The Modern Library Awards recognize products that help libraries deliver better experiences. Judged only by library customers with hands-on experience with the products, submissions are rated on quality, functionality, value and customer satisfaction – making this recognition especially meaningful for OpenAthens, which scored 9.12 out of 10 overall. We received our highest scores in customer satisfaction and competitive positioning at 9.3 each, followed by product quality at 9.1 and functionality at 9.0.
Our commercial director, Jon Bentley reflected on what this eighth platinum means:
Eight years of platinum awards means everything to us because this recognition comes from the library community we serve. We started at the University of Bath in 1995 with one goal: solve real access problems. This shows we're still doing exactly that, more than 30 years later.
What our customers say
LibraryWorks anonymized all customer feedback to ensure impartial evaluation, but below is some of the feedback provided to the judges:
One customer said:
My institution has been using OpenAthens for nearly ten years and we have been continually impressed with the level of service we have received. The Support team has been consistently excellent and has provided helpful advice as well as resolving issues for us.
Another highlighted the technical performance:
Since our migration to OpenAthens, our users report far fewer authentication problems. OpenAthens truly is the best-in-class authentication service for libraries.
A third customer focused on efficiency:
OpenAthens allows us to provide seamless authentication to multiple subscription databases & resources. It centralizes service access & saves hours of student & staff time across the organization.
This feedback demonstrates how OpenAthens Compass delivers on our core promise: providing seamless, secure authentication to even the most complex organizations so librarians can easily manage user access. Backed by our team of industry experts, it provides personalized guidance and support that allows libraries to focus on what really matters; their users.
OpenAthens Compass for complex library organizations
OpenAthens now serves more than 3,200 organizations worldwide - from academic institutions to public libraries and government agencies. Our flagship solution, OpenAthens Compass, is built specifically for complex library organizations that need robust, scalable authentication.
OpenAthens Compass combines federated and proxy authentication in a single sign-on solution, making it truly unique. Single sign-on eliminates multiple passwords, giving users seamless access to all their digital resources with one set of credentials, whether on campus or remote. The product integrates with existing library management tools and discovery services. Librarians also benefit from granular usage reports that support smart and informed decisions around subscriptions and renewals.
After more than 30 years, we remain committed to the mission that started it all: removing barriers to knowledge and empowering people to access what they need, wherever they need it.