SFU Library has instituted a change to our Open Access Fund guidelines

The SFU Library Central Open Access Fund has been in place since 2010 to provide financial support for SFU authors to publish their work in open access journals. Since the Fund was last reviewed in 2017, the open access and scholarly publishing landscape has shifted significantly to include the emergence of read and publish agreements, a move toward immediate open access funder mandates, and rapidly escalating costs of journal Article Processing Charges (APCs). These changes have made the current model of our Open Access Fund unsustainable and the Library and will be undertaking a review of the Open Access Fund this fall. 

What is changing now? 

Beginning immediately, and while the review is in process, eligible SFU authors may request support for one article per year (previously, the guidelines allowed for two articles).  

What remains the same?

Eligible SFU authors will continue to receive support of up to $2500 (CDN) per article.

What may change later? 

We are in the process of forming a working group to begin a full review of the Open Acces Fund guidelines in the fall of 2023. The review will include consultation with graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty members, and other stakeholders. More information about the review will be available once the group begins their work.

What alternatives are available? 

We know that Article Processing Charges (APCs) pose barriers to many researchers for publishing in open access journals. In addition to the OA Fund, SFU researchers benefit from the following open access publishing supports. 

 APC waivers or discounts from selected publishers

SFU Library holds institutional memberships and participates in publishing agreements with many academic publishers, some directly, and as part of library consortia.

These memberships provide waivers on article processing charges (APCs) or discounts for articles published by SFU authors.

 APC charges as an allowable expense

The Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications requires that all peer-reviewed journal publications resulting from funding by the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) must be freely available online within 12 months of publication.

As part of this requirement, article processing charges for open access publishing is an allowable expense in grant proposals. 

 Deposit to an open repository at no cost

Researchers can meet the SFU Open Access Policy and federal access requirements free of charge by depositing their publications in Summit, SFU’s Institutional Research Repository.

The Library will manage any embargo periods required by your publisher. Public access to the article will be automatic following the embargo end date.

Questions?

The Library remains committed to supporting SFU authors in sharing the products of their research with the broadest possible audience, and as such, we are available to discuss your open access publishing options.