Open access (OA) publisher BioMed Central, UK, has announced that its initiative Foundation Member has signed up its tenth member, the National Institute of Oncology in Rabat, Morocco. The institute is one of two public oncology centres in Morocco providing free care and treatment for cancer patients. Foundation Membership is projected to enable institutions in developing countries to demonstrate their commitment and support for OA publishing.
BioMed Central, Chemistry Central and SpringerOpen are reportedly committed to providing immediate and free access to all the research published in their 200-plus journals. To meet the cost of publishing, authors who publish in the OA journals are required to pay an article processing charge (APC) per published paper. However, to support researchers in developing countries, BioMed Central operates a waiver scheme that enables authors to publish their research without incurring the usual APC.
OA publishing requires libraries to maintain their pivotal role in supporting researchers with the dissemination of research and in the advocacy of publishing choices. BioMed Central created Foundation Membership to support libraries in the developing world with this aim. Member benefits include a branded webpage on the company website showcasing the member’s research, a welcome pack and complimentary subscriptions to additional subscription products and services.
Foundation Members also helps member institution to manage their membership and promote it both within their institution and externally to a global audience. This is seen to raise the profile of their research output and reinforce their advocacy to OA.
