Navigating Publishing Agreements and Funder Requirements

Implementation of funder requirements that no longer allow authors to embargo access to their author accepted manuscript (AAM) are generating new questions about how publishers and publication agreements will change and under what circumstances authors will need to pay a fee for full open access publishing.

We will learn more in the coming months and continue to update this page with new information. Last updated: Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Complying with “Zero-Embargo” Public Access Requirements

What can authors be doing for now?

• Ensure compliance with the manuscript deposit requirements as outlined by the Public Access Service.
• Consult with publishers to find out if their publication agreements allow them to deposit an author accepted manuscript (AAM)  without paying an OA fee immediately upon publication. 
• Choose a publisher that allows for zero-embargo deposit of the AAM in a repository.
  • Currently, Sage and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) have indicated no objection to depositing the AAM in a repository to comply with the requirement.
• Choose a publisher that is diamond or fully OA and does not charge authors publishing fees.
• Choose a publisher that has an agreement with the libraries to have publishing fees covered or subsidized. Library Support for OA Publishing.
• Use research funds to cover article processing fees. If using NIH funds to cover a publishing cost, apply them toward full OA publication fees rather than fees for the right to deposit an AAM.

Stay tuned for changes to this advice over the coming months.

Need Assistance?

• For support related to publishing agreements, contact Carrie Nelson
• For support related to public access to publications requirements, contact Ryan Schryver