Open Access Fund Pilot Project Encourages Publishing in OA Journals

WSU Libraries, in partnership with the Office of Research, are starting a pilot open access (OA) fund to support early-career researchers publishing in OA journals, with $25,000 from the Office of the Provost.

The fund will increase the visibility and global accessibility of published, peer-reviewed research from WSU; provide more equitable access for those who wish to publish in high-impact journals; and complement the libraries’ efforts to move away from unsustainable, subscription-based models of providing access to research.

“This is an important step in supporting our faculty to publish in open access journals,” said Provost and Executive Vice President T. Chris Riley-Tillman. “Open access publications expand the impact and accessibility of the outstanding research of WSU faculty.”

Researchers on any WSU campus or other WSU facility may apply to WSU Libraries for up to $1,000 to support publication of an OA journal article. Applicants should be tenure- or career-track assistant or associate professors or graduate students with limited access to grant funding. For more information and to apply, please see the project webpage or contact Joel Cummings, WSU Libraries’ head of collection development.

The OA fund is part of a broader initiative to support OA research publications. WSU Libraries have worked to secure and promote “read and publish” agreements with publishers. Those agreements are described in a library guide.

Elsevier recently joined that list. With the renewal of the Elsevier ScienceDirect journal contract, WSU authors can now publish their research articles in 1,813 hybrid Elsevier journals using an OA license without individually paying an article processing charge.

“I am pleased to have the Office of Research partner with the libraries to reduce barriers for faculty to publish open access in high-impact journals,” said Vice President for Research Kim Christen. “Making our research accessible is a key component of our research enterprise and ensures that WSU research has a wide reach and impact.”