The Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) has taken a significant step towards advancing open access to scholarly research by announcing a three-year read-and-publish agreement with Elsevier. This transformative agreement reallocates funds traditionally spent on subscription fees to cover open access publishing costs, ensuring unrestricted access to research while supporting Canadian authors.
Under this agreement, corresponding authors from participating CRKN member institutions will have unlimited access to open access publishing in over 1,800 Elsevier hybrid journals at no cost, eliminating article processing charges (APCs). This initiative is expected to facilitate the publication of over 9,000 open access articles annually by Canadian researchers, marking a substantial contribution to the global scholarly community.
CRKN's Content Strategy Committee (CSC), guided by CRKN’s Licensing Principles and informed by member feedback, spearheaded negotiations to ensure that the agreement meets the needs of CRKN members. Key objectives included maintaining cost neutrality for libraries and removing restrictions on the number of articles eligible for publication.
The term of the agreement spans from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2026, encompassing 73 participating institutions. CRKN acknowledges the collaborative efforts of its members, the CSC, and the Elsevier negotiating team in achieving this milestone for open access publishing.
This agreement reaffirms CRKN's commitment to revolutionizing scholarly communications by empowering Canadian researchers and fostering a future where knowledge is universally accessible. The complete agreement details are available on the CRKN website, along with information about eligible titles and open access publishing components.
CRKN's read-and-publish agreement with Elsevier sets a precedent for advancing open access initiatives and underscores the collective efforts of institutions and publishers in shaping the future of scholarly publishing.
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