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Open Access

This guide is to help UNLV authors learn about open access, article processing charges (APCs), avoiding predatory publishers, and open access policies.

Open Access Funds

Three funds for supporting UNLV researchers

There are three funds to support researchers who wish to publish their work in open access journals. Each fund has different criteria and a different application form.

UNLV Open Article Fund

The UNLV Open Article Fund supports UNLV authors in the following types of academic positions:

  • Tenured and tenure-track faculty
  • Postdoctoral Scholars
  • Research faculty (as defined in UNLV Bylaws 18.3.4)
  • Instructors (Rank 1, UNLV Bylaws 16.3)

School of Medicine Library Open Article Fund

The School of Medicine Library Open Article Fund supports UNLV Authors in the following positions:

  • SOM faculty
  • Residents
  • Fellows

Graduate & Professional Student Association Open Access Fund

The GPSA fund supports UNLV graduate students.

UNLV Open Article Fund

UNLV Open article fund logo

How to Apply for Funds

Learn How to Apply for the UNLV Open Article Fund

To apply for funds, review the eligibility criteria below and then complete the online application form. You will login with your UNLV affiliated email to access the form. 

To apply, you will need:

  • To review the eligibility criteria below

  • Information about you (contact information, affiliation with UNLV, role on article)

  • Information about the article for which you are seeking funding (title of article, journal, co-authors)

  • Funding amount requested

  • Grant information related to the research on which the article is based (as applicable)

  • To confirm agreement with the following:

    • To place a copy of the final published work in Digital Scholarship@UNLV

    • To acknowledge in article that “The publication fees for this article were supported by the UNLV University Libraries Open Article Fund."

    • That neither you nor your co-authors have grant funding that supports article processing charges for this publication.

    • That that this research was completed in the capacity of your employment at UNLV or as a UNLV graduate student.

    • That you have not yet paid the APC (we do not reimburse authors for payments already made)

Ready to Apply?

Visit the application form.

Eligibility Requirements

Who Can Apply for Funding?

The person requesting open access funds must:

  • Be employed in one of the following positions:
    • Tenured faculty
    • Tenure-track faculty
    • Postdoctoral Scholars
    • Research faculty (as defined in UNLV Bylaws 18.3.4)
    • Instructors (Rank 1, UNLV Bylaws 16.3)
  • Not have received an award within the last 12 months
  • Not have a research grant that can otherwise fully support the APC
  • Not be a Law School faculty member since the funds for this program come from the UNLV University Libraries collection budget.

Additionally, first time applicants will get preference for funding when the remaining balance in the fund cannot support all outstanding applications. Requests for funding will still be reviewed as they come in.

Which Publications are Eligible?

Journal Criteria

This fund will support scholarly articles to be published in fully open access peer reviewed journals. The fund does not cover articles to be published in hybrid journals (where only some content is open access), books, book chapters, magazines, or other types of publications.

Finding a Fully Open Access Journal and Avoiding Predatory Journals

Most successful fund applications are for journals included in the Directory of Open Access Journals (doaj.org). There are exceptions since newer journals, or established journals that have not yet applied for membership, may not be in the database. However, we now ask that authors do a preliminary check to see if the journal they intend to publish with is in the DOAJ.  If it isn't, you may continue with the application, but the journal will be reviewed closely by library staff to ensure that it does not display characteristics of a predatory journal. If needed, we will use the criteria from the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA) to evaluate the journal further. You may also wish to review the OASPA information to see if the journal you are considering is following good practices for open access publishing.

Article Criteria

  • Articles with a status of ready for submission, submitted, or accepted are eligible. Articles already published and articles still being drafted are not eligible.
  • Additionally, articles based on grant funding where grant monies can support APCs are not eligible.

Additional Requirements

Role of Digital Scholarship@UNLV

Final articles must be added to Digital Scholarship@UNLV, the University’s open access repository. University Libraries Staff will coordinate this process.

Acknowledgements

The article must acknowledge the University Libraries using the following (or similar) text:

“The publication fees for this article were supported by the UNLV University Libraries Open Article Fund.”

Award Limitations

  • The maximum amount per article is $2,000 and is to be used only for article processing charges. The award does not support color, image, or page charges.
  • First-time applicants will get preference for funding. Applications are typically processed on a first come first serve basis. First time applicants will be prioritized when the UNLV Open Article Fund balance is low and multiple applications are under review. 
  • Due to limited funds, each author is limited to one award every 12 months.

Decision and Notification of Award

Decision Authority

The Libraries Scholarly Communication and Data Services Department will review UNLV Open Article Fund applications. Funding requests meeting the criteria described above and on the application form will be approved until the funds are expended. If the department is unsure the criteria is being met (e.g. such as the journal’s adherence to OASPA code of conduct), the Libraries Collection Committee will assist in the review. The content and topic of the article for which funding is being sought is not considered in the review.

Decision Timeline

While we expect to have a much faster turnaround time, please allow two weeks for a response to your application. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, in the order they are received.

Payment Process

Paying Invoices

Awarded authors should send the publisher’s invoice directly to digitalscholarship@unlv.edu for payment. The Libraries will process the payment as quickly as possible. 

If Your Award Does Not Cover the Entire APC

The maximum award for this fund is $2,000. For awards that only partially cover the full article processing charge, you will need to provide the following when you forward your invoice:

  • Workday Program Code
  • Spend Category

Reimbursements and Partial Invoice Payments are not Allowed

  • The University Libraries do not reimburse individual authors
  • UNLV does not allow partial payments to be made on invoices

Time to Payment

  • Invoices typically take 30 days to be processed for payment by UNLV Accounts Payable. Library staff enter them for payment within a few business days of receipt.

NSHE Suppliers Database

  • Publishers that are not already registered as an NSHE supplier will need to register.  
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