Hesburgh Libraries

Open Access (OA) publishing is defined as free global access to published materials at no cost and with limited barriers to readers. Many grant funding agencies now require that researchers publish articles and related materials open access so that people wishing to access grant-funded research can do so without encountering a paywall. 

OA connects academic inquiry with society and, in many cases, can be a first step toward solving problems and making meaningful change. In addition, it aligns directly with Notre Dame’s strategic framework, mission, and enduring commitment to create and share new knowledge that addresses the world’s most pressing problems.  

The Hesburgh Libraries is pleased to support open access publishing, as it directly aligns with our mission to provide access to accurate and timely research, and it broadens the reach of research conducted by Notre Dame faculty and students. A team of librarians is available to consult with you about open access publishing at hl-oa-publishing-list@nd.edu.  

Open Access Mandates

Many grant-funding agencies require that grant awardees publish research associated with their grants openly. Please review requirements carefully as you submit your grant applications.  

Alert: New Effective Date

Beginning July 1, 2025, the NIH requires immediate open access to grant-funded research. This new effective date requires that NIH-funded researchers comply with the revised NIH’s public access policy six months earlier than anticipated.

Here is what you need to know:

1. All peer-reviewed articles from NIH-funded research must be publicly available in PubMed Central (PMC) as soon as they are published — there is no longer a 12-month embargo.
2. You must submit either:

   1. The Author’s Accepted Manuscript (AAM), or
   2. The final published version, if your journal deposits it for you.
3. The policy is applicable to all grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, and other transaction-type agreements
4. Authors must cite NIH funding.
5. Depositing an AAM in PMC is free of charge.
6. Allowable costs [e.g., Article Processing Charges (APCs)] may be charged to grants before closeout.
7. Post-closeout costs are not allowed.
8. Submission fees to third-party PMC services are not reimbursable.
9. Deposits to institutional repositories are welcome—as long as AAMs are also deposited in PMC.

Transformative Agreements

Hesburgh Libraries has recently entered into several “transformative agreements” with academic publishers to eliminate or reduce author fees for publishing open access.  Learn more details about transformative agreements available through the Hesburgh Libraries. 

Additional information

More information on Open Access Publishing at Notre Dame is available on the related Open Access Library Guide.