The Library has signed up to several Read and Publish Agreements to support open access publishing. Also known as Transformative Agreements, these cover some open access publishing fees for RMIT authors.

Am I eligible?

The submitting author must be affiliated with RMIT University for the publication to be eligible. This covers anyone with an RMIT email address, including Australia and Vietnam staff and students.

To make sure your manuscript is considered for an APC fee waiver or reduction: 

• Use your RMIT University email address when submitting.
• State RMIT University as your primary institutional affiliation. If you are a co-author your work may be eligible if the submitting author is from a university that also has a Read and Publish agreement with the publisher.
• After the peer review process and acceptance of the manuscript, the publisher will let you know if your work can be published openly under an agreement.

When do the agreements apply?

The agreements run from 1 January to 31 December each year.  Most publishers offer an APC waiver or discount if the manuscript acceptance date falls within the agreement period, but specific details vary between publishers.

What publishers have agreements with the Library?

See the Library's Read and Publish webpage for an up-to-date list of publishers covered by Read and Publish agreements.  We hope to add more agreements in the future.

Can I publish in any journal from these publishers?

Not all publications from each publisher will be covered by a Read and Publish Agreement.  To find relevant journals use the lists on the Library website. 
NOTE: staff in Vietnam can use the RMIT student option to access lists instantly, or request access to the staff option during work hours (Australian eastern standard time).

How can I check the ranking of a journal?

The Library Research Metrics guide includes resources for checking journal rankings.

The publisher has not offered the APC fee waiver or discount I expected.  What should I do?

Contact the Library Research Services team for assistance. 

I would like to suggest other publishers or journals.  How can I do that?

You can contact the Library Research Services team to make suggestions.  Bear in mind that the agreements result from a negotiation between CAUL and the publishing companies. The Library will continue to contribute to the development of these agreements with CAUL.

Why are there no fully open access journals included in the agreements?

The Read and Publish agreements repurpose existing journal subscription expenditure.  Fully open access publishers do not charge subscription fees, and so CAUL cannot negotiate with them to repurpose existing expenditure.

What if I cannot publish openly under a Read and Publish Agreement?

Browse this guide to consider other options for making your research openly available.

What will my author rights (copyright) be when publishing with a Library Read and Publish Agreement?

As with all publishing agreements, you need to carefully read and fully understand what author rights you are retaining and which you may be giving up.  See the Copyright, Author Rights and Creative Commons licensing page in this guide.