A federal policy that came into effect on July 1 states that researchers funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) are required to make their research available free to all citizens by depositing their published papers in the NIH repository, PubMed Central. Researchers must do so after publication in a peer-reviewed journal; embargoes on articles are no longer permitted.
How do UVM researchers achieve compliance?
There are a few ways that researchers can make their work freely available. Open access authors should make sure that their papers are deposited into PubMed Central as soon as they are accepted for publication (many open access publishers offer an automated deposit option). Authors who publish in closed, subscription-based journals should make sure that any signed agreements comply with the NIH policy. Some publishers of subscription-based journals allow authors to post the accepted version of their manuscript to PubMed Central as soon as it is published.
UVM Libraries are here to help. Learn more about your options and methods for submitting to PubMed Central with our NIH 2024 Public Access Policy Guide.
If you’re still feeling unsure, the Libraries Scholarly Communications Librarian, Donna O’Malley, is ready to help you understand:
Finding or parsing journal or publisher open access policies.
Locating PMCIDs or NIHMS IDs for submitted manuscripts.
Determining whether an article is already deposited in PubMed Central.