SAN FRANCISCO —The Public Library of Science (PLOS) is pleased to announce a consortium agreement with Technische Informationsbibliothek (TIB) that allows member institutions to participate in PLOS’ three innovative publishing models. This two-year agreement provides researchers affiliated with consortium members with unlimited publishing privileges in PLOS journals without them having to cover fees themselves. The TIB-led consortium has more than 40 members[1].
“This is the first time that TIB has negotiated a consortial contract with a Gold OA publisher that is open to institutions across Germany. There was a clear need for an agreement that allows universities, universities of applied sciences and research institutions to centrally cover publication fees in PLOS journals for their researchers, and as consortial leader it is our mission to meet those needs. This partnership will play a key role in alleviating barriers for researchers when publishing their work Open Access, such as eliminating author-facing article processing charges (APCs) and including the entire PLOS portfolio under the deal,” said Dr. Irina Sens, deputy director of TIB.
All PLOS journals are underpinned by institutional business models that move beyond APCs to ensure more equitable and regionally appropriate ways to support Open Access publishing. PLOS’ institutional models are Community Action Publishing (CAP)[2], Flat Fees [3], and the Global Equity model[4].
“This agreement represents a new model for institutions to collaborate and invest equitably in our common interests in advancing Open Science,” said Sara Rouhi, Director of Strategic Partnerships for PLOS. “TIB shares our commitment to building business models that will move researchers and journals toward a more equitable and barrier free form of publishing.”
The members of the TIB-led consortium join a growing list of institutions including the Big Ten Academic Alliance, the University of California system, CRL and NERL, Jisc (including University College London, Imperial College London, University of Manchester) and the Canadian Research Knowledge Network among others to support their researchers through publishing deals with PLOS.
The Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP) recently honored PLOS as the 2021 co-winner for Innovation in Publishing for its Community Action Publishing model.
About the Public Library of Science
PLOS is a nonprofit, open access publisher empowering researchers to accelerate progress in science and medicine by leading a transformation in research communication. Since our founding in 2001, PLOS journals have helped break boundaries in research communication to provide more opportunities, choice, and context for researchers and readers. For more information, visit http://www.plos.org.
About Technische Informationsbibliothek (TIB)
TIB – Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology and University Library provides science, research, industry and business with literature and information – in both printed and electronic form. The library is committed to openness, open access to information, publications and scientific data: it aims to make information and knowledge more easily accessible, more transparent and better reusable. For more information visit https://www.tib.eu/en/
CONTACTS:
David Knutson
Sr. Communications Manager, PLOS
651-260-8288
TIB Licensing Services
+49 511 762 8030
[1] FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, German Rheumatism Research Centre Berlin (DRFZ), Free University of Berlin (FU Berlin), Humboldt University Berlin (HU Berlin), MSB Medical School Berlin, MSH Medical School Hamburg, HMU Health and Medical University Potsdam, BSP Business & Law School, Bielefeld University, Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM), German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), University of Bonn incl. University Hospital Bonn, Helmholtz Centre für Infection Research, Technical University Braunschweig (TU Braunschweig), University Bremen, Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IoeR), University of Duisburg-Essen incl. Essen University Hospital, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf incl. Duesseldorf University Hospital, IU International University of Applied Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt incl. Goethe University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Fulda University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg University of Technology (TU Hamburg), Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HsH), Hannover Medical School (MHH), Leibniz University Hannover, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Technical University Kaiserslautern, University of Koblenz (excl. Landau), German Aerospace Center, Leibniz Institute for Social Sciences (GESIS), Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Roman-Germanic Central Museum – Leibniz Institute for Archeology (RGZM), University of Mannheim, FH Muenster University of Applied Sciences, Nuremberg Institute of Technology (Nuremberg Tech), German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE), University of Regensburg incl. Regensburg University Hospital, Leibniz Institute for New Materials, University of Tuebingen incl. University Hospital Tuebingen
[2] Participating journals include PLOS Biology, PLOS Medicine and PLOS Sustainability and Transformation
[3] Participating journals include PLOS Digital Health, PLOS ONE, PLOS Computational Biology, PLOS Pathogens, PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases and PLOS Genetics
[4] Participating journals include PLOS Climate, PLOS Water, PLOS Global Public Health
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