The DEAL consortium, one of the largest academic library consortia globally, has initiated an awareness campaign urging scientific authors in Germany to adopt the Creative Commons “CC BY” license for open-access publications. Through the slogan “OPEN ACCESS MEANS CC BY,” DEAL aims to educate researchers on the value of this license, which promotes unrestricted access and reuse of scholarly work, aligning with the principles of Open Access.
The campaign seeks to curb the use of non-commercial (NC) licenses, which often prevent the broad reuse and sharing of content. Unlike CC BY, which grants full access and adaptability rights, NC licenses can restrict access by allowing publishers exclusive commercial rights, such as the ability to resell content to artificial intelligence (AI) providers. By promoting CC BY, DEAL is advocating for greater research accessibility and unrestricted reuse potential.
In collaboration with the law firm iRights Law, DEAL has launched an information page for authors at deal-konsortium.de/en/why-ccby, offering guidance on Open Access licensing options. This resource provides critical information on how authors can make informed licensing choices to maximize the reach and impact of their work.
The DEAL consortium, managed by MPDL Services gGmbH and backed by prominent German research organizations, oversees agreements with major academic publishers. Serving approximately 500 institutions across Germany, DEAL facilitates around 30,000 open-access publications annually, ensuring that a substantial share of German academic research is freely accessible worldwide.
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