Do publishers ever refuse to publish due to the Open Access policy?
Answer
The majority of publishers understand that open access benefits the author and the publication by making it more discoverable. However, some publishers will not publish a manuscript with a prior license, such as the UMass Amherst Open Access policy or a federal purpose license, unless their conditions are. met. You have several options:
- Negotiate with your publisher to recognize UMass Amherst's non-exclusive rights;
- Choose another publisher (see the Open Policy Finder for publisher policies); or
- Request a waiver to the Open Access Policy.
The Libraries offer faculty the opportunity to consult with the Copyright and Information Policy program (copyright@umass.edu), if an author wishes to review a publishing contract.