A limit on free open publishing
Authors affiliated with Dutch universities, university medical centers, and KNAW institutes have been able to publish Open Access for free in a large number of journals since 2015. The following publishers impose a maximum:
• AIP Publishing
• American Chemical Society (ACS)
• Emerald
• Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW)
• Oxford University Press
• Springer Nature
• Taylor & Francis
Prediction of maximums for 2024
The maximum number of articles is not reached annually at all publishers. However, over the past two years, the maximum for Springer Nature was reached in early November; in 2022, Emerald also reached its maximum. It is expected that maximums will be reached again this year for at least Springer Nature and LWW. Once a maximum is reached, you can no longer publish under the terms of the Open Access deal.
What can you do now?
Researchers who wish to be informed about the status of the discount can register for a ‘notify-me service’. This service provides updates on when the maximum number of Open Access publications from a publisher is expected to be reached.
Alternatives and options
If your manuscript is accepted for publication between the time when a maximum is reached and January 1, 2025, publishers still offer the option to publish it Open Access, but the costs will no longer be covered by the consortium agreement. Opting for Open Access with payment means you will receive the invoice yourself. This may not be an issue as many research grants account for this, but be prepared.
Another option is to publish (for free) in closed access with the publisher and make your article Open Access after an embargo period through the VU Research Portal (Pure) or the Amsterdam UMC Research Portal. For more information about this option, please contact the Open Access team at the University Library.
