Open Access Publishing: How much does OA publishing cost?
UB Libraries' discounts on Article Processing Charges (APCs)
Microbiology Society publication discounts
UB Libraries subscribe to the following Microbiology Society journals: Journal of General Virology, Journal of Medical Microbiology and Microbiology. All UB-affiliated authors receive a 15 percent discount on the journal APCs for these journals. Authors must select the OpenMicrobiology option when submitting an article.
UB-affiliated authors receive a 50 percent discount on the journal APCs for JMM Case Reports.
SCOAP3 for researchers engaged in high-energy physics
SCOAP3 is an international consortium of thousands of libraries, funding agencies and research centers that have established agreements with publishers in the high-energy physics field. These agreements subsidize the APCs for publishing in SCOAP3 journals. UB authors pay no APCs, retain copyright and have their articles published with immediate open access, thereby ensuring compliance with federal open access mandates.
How OA publishers defray costs of production
Volunteer efforts
Many OA publishers rely on the efforts of the research community—networks of scholars who volunteer their time to help publish OA journals in their fields. Open Humanities Press and Speleobiology Notes are two examples.
Author fees
Other OA publishers charge article processing charges (APCs). These fees vary in cost and are often paid by using grant money or are paid by the author’s institution. PLOS Biology is an OA journal that relies on APCs.
Alternative revenue streams
Many OA journals are free to read online, but they charge for advertisements, memberships, print versions and conferences. The British Medical Journal is an OA journal that leverages a combination of these revenue streams.