MIT Libraries develop innovative open access agreements with PLOS | MIT Libraries News

"The MIT Libraries has negotiated two new open-access publishing agreements with the nonprofit publisher Public Library of Science (PLOS) that allow all MIT authors to publish in all PLOS titles with no publishing fees. The agreement aligns with the core principles of the MIT Framework for Publisher Contracts.

The aim of the PLOS agreements is to remove the burden of cost of publishing articles from authors and allow MIT to support authors who publish open access. Instead of authors paying article processing charges (or APCs, payments charged to authors or their institutions to make a work available open access), PLOS charges the Institute transparent and equitable fees as guided by the Plan S Price and Service Transparency Framework.

“PLOS recognizes that APCs create barriers for some researchers to publish open access and contribute to inequity in scholarly communications,” said Chris Bourg, director of MIT Libraries. “This agreement was a true collaboration made possible by our shared goals of openness, equity, and transparency.”

Acknowledging that most research is a collaborative effort, these agreements break new ground by making all MIT authors, corresponding and contributing, eligible. Further aligning with MIT’s values, all authors from Research4Life countries are included in the Collective Action Publishing agreement; Research4Lifeprovides low-and middle-income countries with online access to academic and professional peer-reviewed content...."