Library Subject Guides
Open access options for books and book chapters have historically been more limited than for journal articles. However, this is rapidly changing and there are now many possibilities for those wishing to publish monographs openly. From Autumn 2023, UKRI will increase support to help its funded authors make their books openly available, whilst also introducing requirements in this area. The University also provides its own fund to help its authors meet publishing charges. In addition to this funding the Library supports a range of open access book publication services and opportunities.
UKRI are introducing new funding from 2024 to ensure that their publicly funded research is available to everyone. This means that:
UKRI has introduced a dedicated fund to support open access costs for outputs in scope of this new requirement. York-affiliated authors are able to submit an application for this funding via the Library.
Books and chapters which arise from Wellcome-funded research must be made openly available through NCBI Bookshelf and Europe PMC as early as possible and within six months of the publisher's official publication date (or immediately on publication if an open access publishing fee has been charged).
Funding to publish open access monographs or book chapters can be requested directly from Wellcome.
You can use this form to deposit your book or chapter for inclusion in NCBI Bookshelf and Europe PMC.
For more information see the Wellcome guidance on complying with their policy.
Books and chapters were outside the scope of the open access requirements for REF 2021, but there is likely to be an open access requirement for books and chapters submitted to a future research evaluation exercise.
It is expected that any formal open access requirements for books and chapters will be more flexible than the requirements for journal articles, and will not apply retrospectively to titles published before any new policy is announced.
The W
hite Rose University Press is a not-for-profit, in-house press, jointly run by the White Rose Universities of York, Leeds and Sheffield. WRUP publishes open access digital books and journals across a range of disciplines and provides an excellent option for York authors looking to openly publish their research.
Recent WRUP books from York researchers have included:
For more information see the White Rose University Press website.
The Open Research team offer training to postgraduate researchers and staff through the Building Research and Innovation Capacity (BRIC) programme.
To book a session go to: SkillsForge - Postgraduate Researchers or LMS - Staff (login required).
Next sessions:
If you need information, take a look at the:
You can also contact the team by email lib-open-research@york.ac.uk to:
Alternatively, book an Open Research Online Appointment to discuss your individual needs.
Follow York Open Research on Twitter (@UoYOpenRes) for the latest updates and recommended resources from the Open Research team
Most academic publishers now provide routes to open access publication for books and chapters. In order to cover the costs of publication, some publishers levy a Book Processing Charge (BPC), which can start from £6,000 (+ VAT) for a full-length book. This is known as the "Gold" route and means that the final published version of the book or book chapter is made openly available via the publisher's own platform. There are many different types of publisher, some of which are completely open access (such as White Rose University Press), whilst some are traditional publishers who offer open access options for some publications.
There is funding available for York authors who wish to make their book/book chapters openly available. The institutional fund is open to applications from all York-affiliated staff and students. (Eligibility criteria apply).
For book chapters, it may be possible to share your work freely via a research repository, which can provide another route to complying with funder policies and avoids the need to pay a publication charge.
As with Journal articles, if you are not able to publish open access with your chosen publisher, you may still be able to make your work open access through deposit to Pure/White Rose Research Online or another appropriate repository. This is known as the "Green" route.
Whether it is possible to make your work available via this route depends on the details of your agreement with your publisher, and would likely involve an embargo period for the repository copy. Note that for UKRI-funded monographs there is a requirement for open access within 12 months of publication, which an embargoed manuscript may not meet.
UKRI funding is in place to cover costs associated with making books and chapters openly available in accordance with UKRI policy. This covers UKRI-funded monographs published from 1 January 2024 onward. UKRI can provide funding of up to:
To apply for funding you should send details of your request to the Library as soon as possible prior to publication using the form below. The Library will then register the request with UKRI, who will then confirm the funding.
If you have been quoted a processing charge for a book or chapter that is above the UKRI limits please contact the Open Research team who will be able to provide advice on your options.
When your UKRI funding has been confirmed, you should then send any invoice received from the publisher to lib-open-research@york.ac.uk. The Library will administer payment of the open access charge and ensure that the cost is recharged to UKRI. Be aware that UKRI will only reimburse funds to the University via the Library and will not be able to reimburse departments or individuals for publication charges.
It is helpful if you let the Library know when your book or chapter has been published, as the University can then reclaim funds from UKRI. It also means that the Library can help promote your book.
If you are not in receipt of UKRI funding, the York Open Access Fund may be able to pay the open access publishing charge for your book or book chapter. Applications are welcome from any member of staff or PGR affiliated with the University of York provided certain conditions are met:
Requests should be submitted as early as possible before publication, and can be logged before a book or book chapter is submitted to the publisher. If a request is approved before acceptance but you find that the funding is no longer needed, we just ask that you let us know so that the funds can be released.
You can also contact the team by email lib-open-research@york.ac.uk to:
