A Transformative Model for High-Quality Open Access Publishing in the Biological Sciences
“A sustainable path to open publication of biomedical research is a long-sought objective among the many science communication initiatives at Cold Spring Harbor. Our transformational offerings provide a model for any research-intensive institution whose scientists wish to make their articles openly available in these long-established, prestigious, not-for-profit journals.”
— Dr. John Inglis, Publisher of CSHL Press, co-founder of bioRxiv and medRxiv
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press is exploring new types of online licensing arrangements with research institutions and libraries that incorporate an Open Access (OA) publishing program for authors. These “transformative” agreements offer full access to the complete collection of CSHL Press subscription journals and an OA publishing option for corresponding authors of accepted papers. This eliminates or greatly reduces any article publication charges (APCs) or OA publishing fees, which will be covered by the institutional license agreement. The goal, over time, is to maintain the highest standards of publishing in the biological sciences while reducing the reliance on traditional subscription payments and expanding the output of Open Access research.
To see the list of institutions with current CSHL Press Transformative Agreements, click here.
If you are interested in discussing such an arrangement for your institution or group, please email Doug LaFrenier at dlafrenier@cshjournals.org or Katherine Kelly at kelly@cshl.edu
Transformative Agreements: Frequently Asked Questions
Transformative License Agreements offer a path toward greater Open Access publishing by encouraging authors of accepted papers to opt for OA publication: first, by building this option into the workflow of accepted manuscripts; second, by removing or reducing any author-facing publication charges; and third, by enabling authors to retain copyright over their own works. Libraries see tremendous benefits as well. They typically gain access to the complete collection of CSHL Press journals, often expanding their current subscription portfolio, while holding costs steady over a multiyear term; and they support the transition to Open Access scholarship by helping to expand their authors’ output of OA content.
Our four research journals, Genome Research, Genes & Development, RNA, Learning & Memory, are Transformative Journals moving to a fully open access model. We report and update their progress on our PLAN S data transparency page. In addition, we are also committed to these titles becoming fully open access in accordance with Plan S guidelines.
Fully peer-reviewed research, review, and case-study articles, accepted for publication, are eligible for Open Access publishing in our hybrid research journals, Genes & Development, Genome Research, Learning & Memory, and RNA. Editorials, comments, protocols, methods, and similar materials are not eligible. Articles in CSH Protocols, CSH Perspectives in Biology, and CSH Perspectives in Medicine are commissioned by the editors and do not accept submissions.
- CSH Perspectives in Biology (launched 2009) ranks in first quartile of journals in Cell Biology*
- CSH Perspectives in Medicine (launched 2013) ranks in 2nd quartile of journals in Medicine, Research & Experimental Medicine*
- CSH Protocols (launched 2006) covering all biology disciplines (does not receive Impact Factor), includes proven, peer-reviewed recipes, techniques, and protocols from legendary CSHL courses and working scientists
Corresponding Authors from licensed institutions may submit to the following journals, with the option to publish an unlimited number of Open Access research articles:
- Genes & Development (launched 1987) ranks #2 among research (non-review) journals in the field of Developmental Biology and is one of the “Top 20” Cell Biology journals*
- Genome Research (launched 1991) ranks #7 among research journals in the field of Genetics and Biotechnology and is one of the “Top 30” Molecular Biology journals*
- RNA (launched 1995) ranks in second quartile of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology category*
- Learning & Memory (launched 1994) ranks in second quartile of Neurosciences category*
*Journal Citation Reports Impact Factor Data © Clarivate
Yes, price transparency and growth of Open Access content are key elements of CSHL’s approach and goals for our transformative agreements. Plan S requires financial transparency for APC expenses / costs. In addition Plan S mandates certain milestones for hybrid research journals in their progress toward full open access. This data is also the basis for adjustments to hybrid journal subscription prices to protect against “double dipping” as the rate of open access content increases.
Institutions that subscribe to at least four CSHL Press titles (or the equivalent) are eligible for a Transformative License Agreement proposal.
Upon acceptance of a corresponding author’s paper, the author will be informed of his or her Open Access publishing options. They can indicate their choice to publish OA when they submit their License to Publish form.
No, approval is not required. In most cases all fees are covered under the terms of the agreement
The high-quality standards of CSHL Press’s research journals can limit acceptance of many papers. However, CSHL Press, in partnership with EMBO Press and Rockefeller University Press, has established a new journal, Life Science Alliance (LSA). Although editorially independent, editors at LSA work closely with editors of CSHL Press journals to offer seamless transfer of papers, including pre—peer review consultations that provide authors with a high degree of certitude for rapid review and publication in LSA.
OAS is a nonprofit data-exchange service to facilitate communications between key stakeholders in OA publishing, including publishers, academic institutions, and research funding organizations. Many of our transformative partner institutions are using OAS already and we encourage broad participation in order to simplify messaging and reporting among the parties. More information can be found here: https://www.oaswitchboard.org/
Licensees have the option to create a branded channel in the preprint server bioRxiv, which will include all preprints submitted to bioRxiv and medRxiv by your authors
CSHL Press works with both library consortia and with individual institutions to customize transformative agreements that meet the specific needs of customers. If you are interested in discussing such an arrangement for your institution or group, please email Katherine Kelly at kelly@cshl.edu or Doug LaFrenier at dlafrenier@cshjournals.org.
In the traditional model, libraries pay subscription fees for access to journal content for all users in their institutions. Under the Open Access model, publication costs are usually borne by the author or grant funder and the published research is immediately free for anyone in the world to read.
Transformative License Agreements simplify the payment process for authors who wish to publish Open Access papers, but the option to publish OA does not depend on one. Open Access is currently available to any author of an accepted paper in Genes & Development, Genome Research, Learning & Memory, and RNA upon payment of an Article Publication Charge (APC) and an OA publishing fee.
Yes. CSHLP research journals, Genome Research, Genes & Development, RNA, and Learning & Memory, are Transformative Journals in accordance with Plan S guidelines. A listing of international government and charitable organizations endorsing Plan S and working jointly on its implementation can be found here.
In addition, the cOAlitionS “journal checker tool” is a search engine that verifies Plan S funder and journal compliance. It allows an author to enter the name of a funder, an institution, and the journal to which they plan to submit an article, and checks if this combination of funder, institution, and journal offers compliance with Plan S. Click here to access the Journal Checker Tool: Plan S Compliance Validator.
If your institution has a Transformative License Agreement with CSHL Press, you may opt for Open Access publishing of any accepted paper with all APC or OA publishing fees either waived or deeply discounted. There is little to no administrative burden on authors.
Under a Transformative license agreement, researchers typically gain access to the full collection of a publisher’s journals, beyond what their institutions had been subscribing to. And they gain the important benefit of publishing their accepted papers as Open Access, so they are immediately free to read around the world. In addition, OA papers are published under a Creative Commons noncommercial license, which allows redistribution and reuse of the paper as long as the author is appropriately credited. Further, transformative agreements usually remove any author-facing payment requirements, as these are now covered in their institution’s license agreement.
Please click this Institutions link to see if your institution participates in a Transformative License Agreement with CSHL Press.
Fully peer-reviewed research, review, and case-study articles, accepted for publication, are eligible for Open Access publishing in our hybrid research journals, Genes & Development, Genome Research, Learning & Memory, and RNA. Editorials, comments, protocols, methods, and similar materials are not eligible. Articles in CSH Protocols, CSH Perspectives in Biology, and CSH Perspectives in Medicine are commissioned by the editors and do not accept submissions.
Corresponding authors from licensed institutions may submit to the following journals, with the option to publish an unlimited number of Open Access research articles:
- Genes & Development (launched 1987) ranks #2 among research (non-review) journals in the field of Developmental Biology and is one of the “Top 20” Cell Biology journals*
- Genome Research (launched 1991) ranks #7 among research journals in the field of Genetics and Biotechnology and is one of the “Top 30” Molecular Biology journals*
- RNA (launched 1995) ranks in the second quartile of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology category*
- Learning & Memory (launched 1994) ranks in the second quartile of Neurosciences category*
*Journal Citation Reports Impact Factor Data © Clarivate
There is no change in submission procedures. See the “Information for Authors” link at each journal homepage (click on any title in Question #8, above.) If your article is accepted for publication, you will then be informed of your Open Access publishing options.