Alert: MLA & AAHSL Issue Support Statement for NIH Open Access Policy — UW Health Sciences Library

"The Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries and the Medical Library Association [and the University of Washington Health Science Library] urge journal publishers to fully support authors who are federally mandated to comply with the NIH Public Access Policy.  Many authors are confused by the varied approaches and policies of different journals for submitting articles to PubMed Central. This issue will become even more pressing beginning July 1, 2013, when NIH will delay processing an award if publications arising from it are not in compliance with the Policy.  Additionally, authors and their institutions need publisher support to address prior lapses in compliance, dating back to 2008, as failure to do so will adversely affect future grant funding. On behalf of academic health centers, health sciences schools, libraries and more importantly, journal authors, we ask that: [1] Publishers allow authors to submit to PubMed Central the final published versions of their articles published after April 7, 2008, related to awards that will have an anticipated start date of July 1, 2013.  We ask that this permission be communicated to authors via the journal website and other relevant communication mechanisms between now and July 1, 2013. [2] Going forward, publishers consider entering into an NIH Portfolio agreement with PubMed Central, wherein the journal commits to depositing all articles funded by the NIH (as defined by the NIH Public Access Policy), starting with a specified volume/issue or publication date...."