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Open Access

This guide provides an overview of Open Access and related issues.

Open Access @ WVU Libraries

Open Access @ WVU Libraries

The WVU Libraries are committed to Open Access in order to maximize the reach and impact of research produced at WVU, and to provide our patrons with access to the materials they need to carry out their work. To support OA, the Libraries have instituted the following initiatives.

WVU Libraries Supported Open Access

Cambridge University Press:

The West Virginia University Libraries and Cambridge University Press have established a Read & Publish agreement which allows WVU authors to publish Open Access in Cambridge University Press journals without any article processing charges. Additional benefits of this agreement include:

  • All WVU-authored articles that are published in a CUP journal that accepts OA articles will be published OA if the author elects to have the article published OA.  The journal will highlight this option as the author goes through the process of article publication.  
  • WVU authors who choose to publish OA will retain the copyright to their article and may freely share their work on personal websites and in open access repositories, including the Research Repository @ WVU.
  • There is no limit to the number of articles from WVU authors that can be published open access in Cambridge journals.
Public Library of Science (PLOS):

PLOS is a nonprofit, Open Access publisher with a suite of 12 influential Open Access journals across all areas of science and medicine. Open Access refers to free, immediate and permanent online access to digital full-text scientific and scholarly material, primarily research articles published in peer-reviewed journals.

West Virginia University Libraries has partnered with PLOS to provide WVU affiliated authors with the ability to publish free of any processing charges in all of PLOS titles. See the complete list of PLOS publications WVU authors can publish in. 

Open Library of Humanities (OLH):

WVU Libraries is a member institution of the Open Library of Humanities (OLH). OLH publishes 27 peer reviewed journals. OLH works differently with a small contribution from a large number of libraries covering the costs of publication; a cost pool. The OLH thereby offers an extremely cost-effective solution for open access that means that no single institution bears a disproportionate cost. Participating libraries not only invest in a community shared service that would not otherwise be feasible but are also given a governance stake in the project.  See the complete list of OLH journals.

WVU Libraries is also an institutional member of the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development (JAFSCD). WVU affilited authors can publish in this journal free of any charges.

Open Access Author Fund

Open Access Author Fund - The WVU Libraries have established an Open Access Author Fund for scholarly content published by WVU Authors. This fund is intended to be used as a source of last resort when no other source of funding is available. Researchers are encouraged to include open access publishing fees in grant requests, and to use University funding, such as the Eberly College Subvention Fund, whenever possible. More information is available at the Open Access Author Fund page

Reduced Author Fees

Reduced Author Fees - The WVU Libraries have negotiated reduced fees for publishing open access with the following publishers:

The Research Repository @ WVU

The Research Repository @ WVU - WVU's institutional repository allows researchers to make their work open access without any APCs or other charges. Materials deposited in the repository are professionally managed and curated by WVU Librarians, and preserved for long term access and preservation. For more information, visit the Research Repository research guide

Publishing Services

The Digital Publishing Institute (DPI) - The DPI is a nascent WVU collaborative designed to help meet the scholarly publishing needs of the WVU and West Virginia scholarly community. Its vision is to provide open access and non-profit publishing expertise, services, and platforms to enhance the scholarly output options of the WVU community.