What's in store for open access in 2013? | Elsevier Connect

While most of us are now back at our desks ready to start the new year, Elsevier has been busy scaling its programs and activities to offer authors a greater choice of open access options in 2013. Back in July, the UK government endorsed the Finch Report recommendations for government-funded research to be made available in open access publications. The European Commission followed suit, making a similar announcement for an open access policy starting in 2014. Both of these developments have far-reaching consequences in all disciplines, bringing open access very much to the foreground of researchers’ minds this year. What is Elsevier’s position? At Elsevier, we have welcomed these new recommendations and has always supported models that help researchers communicate and access information in a sustainable way. This is why in 2013, we will continue to accelerate Elsevier’s open access initiatives.  This year, we will continue to add to our list of more than 31 open access titles. To start this off, we have already launched two new titles in January: Stem Cell Reports — the result of collaboration between Cell Press and the International Society for Stem Cell Research — and the Journal of Pediatric Surgery Case Reports.  In addition to open access journals, we now also offer authors the option to make their article open access in 1,500 hybrid journals. This makes it even easier for authors to choose either after acceptance or retrospectively after publication. All our hybrid journals now have an open access options logo making it easier to identify where authors can publish open access.  We remain committed to our other universal access initiatives, of course, such as enhancing access to our content in developing countries through our continued participation in the Research4Life program. Currently, we are providing access to over 2,000 journals and 6,000 books. Check out the new case studies to read more about the impact of such contributions.  2013 promises to be a really exciting year for open access at Elsevier. Watch this space for regular updates."