NYU Open Access Agreements with Publishers

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding open access publishing.

Will I lose my copyright for the work as an author?

This can vary, but often you should be able to negotiate to keep your copyright as an author. For more information on copyright, please refer to the Copyright Research Guide.

Why should I publish Open Access?

Beyond the altruistic desire to expand access to scholarly research, open access articles and monographs receive more pageviews, citations, and downloads than their traditionally published counterparts. Therefore, publishing open access will propel your research to the peak of the academic conversation and increase your influence amongst your peers. Additionally, your funder (Plan S, Gates Foundation, NSF, NIH, DOE, etc.) may require you to publish Open Access. Please see below some studies which support the additional impact that open access articles have in their fields. 

Can I publish my article with an embargo?

This varies publisher to publisher, but if you are publishing an article in a peer-reviewed academic journal, there is no need to embargo your article because it is not being published elsewhere. If you are publishing your work in a traditional toll access journal, you may also want to self-archive a version of your article in an open access repository. For example, you can upload a pre-print of your article to NYU’s Faculty Digital Archive with an embargo period of up to two years. For more information on that process and your rights as an author, please refer to the Open Access LibGuide.

How does publishing open access affect my tenure evaluation?

Publishing open access will not affect your tenure package in any way. Your work will still be peer reviewed, professionally copyedited and typeset, and be listed and marketed as a publication from a notable journal publisher or academic press. 

If I publish my monograph open access, will my book still be available for physical sale?

While the electronic version of the book will be available open access, physical copies will most likely still be made available for sale. This can vary by publisher: MIT Press publishes physical copies of all monographs, while University of Michigan Press publishes physical copies in most cases.

Will I make money off of my Open Access monograph?

Since your book will be digitally published Open Access, you won’t earn royalties from digital readers. However, you could still earn royalties (per your publishing agreement) from physical book sales. That being said, very few academic writers earn any significant amount of money from publishing an academic monograph, and so publishing open access is a way to maximize the reach and impact of your book.

I want to publish open access in a journal not included under any of NYU's current OA deals, but don't have grant funding to cover the APC. Do I have any other options?

The OA publishing deals listed in this guide are the only funding available through NYU Libraries - we do not offer an APC fund or any kind of ad hoc funding. However, sometimes individual schools and departments might have separate sources of funding, so it can be worth reaching out to your academic department or school to see if they have any resources.

Furthermore, some journals or publishers offer discounts or assistance for researchers who cannot afford to pay the APC due to financial hardship. You can check the publisher's website to see if that may be an option, or reach out to the publisher if that information is not listed. 

Am I included in NYU’s Open Access agreements if I am not located at or affiliated with the New York campus?

Yes, researchers from all NYU locations, including NYU Abu Dhabi, Shanghai, and others, are included in NYU’s Open Access agreements with publishers.