Collections Ready Reference

• Requests for OA Content in OneSearch or A-Z Page
• Requests to Fund OA Initiatives
• How Author and Publisher Contracts Work
• OA Publishing (APC) Discounts 

Email eserials@utk.edu to suggest an OA resource be added to the Databases A-Z page and/or OneSearch.

Before suggesting additions, please check that resources:

• are user friendly to navigate
• do not ask users to create an account or share personal information to gain access
• are available from a stable and reputable source where we can assume access will be maintained
• are available as open in their entirety and not just sections or portions of content
• are made significantly more discoverable with their addition to OneSearch or the Databases A-Z page (OA resources often require original cataloging, which is time consuming and can, sadly, be a linking maintenance issue in the future)

**The addition of resources and how they are made available is determined by APCS, ACR, and Cataloging. If resources do not meet the above criteria, these departments may decline to add them.  
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One of the many ways the Libraries supports the creation of open access research material is through financial support to publishers and organizations. Examples include: continuing to pay subscription fees to journals that are converting to open access, pledging money towards publishing open access books, and devoting funds to pay for author publishing fees.  

To request that the Libraries financially support an open access initiative that would potentially be funded with collections money, create a proposal that includes:

• the title of the resource or project
• name of the organization publishing the resource or coordinating the project
• link to the resource or project
• brief summary that:
  • explains why the resource or project should be financially supported by the Libraries
  • identifies the UT audience who will benefit from the support
  • identifies potential benefits our support may bring UT as a whole
  • examples of benefits other universities have experience from their support
  • identifies any cross-institutional partners that demonstrates the potential for the resource or project to succeed (ex: ARL)
• estimated cost and expected recurrence of that cost

See this document for an example of writing a funding proposal. 

Send completed proposals to Kat Brooks.

For assistance, contact Kat Brooks.

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When a UTK faculty member authors an article, the faculty member contracts directly with the publisher. If the faculty member is choosing to publish open access, UTK can pay this on behalf of the faculty member. UTK does not need to sign a contract to cover UTK's payment on the faculty member's behalf.

If you or your faculty have any questions about author contracts, please contact elicense@utk.edu. Elyssa Gould will answer your questions.

UTK authors receive discounts on author publishing fees with some publishers. See the Open Publishing Support Fund for more information.

Spreadsheet of OA discounts provided by subscription agreements (for internal use).

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