Library

Open Access Publishing Support

MRU faculty have several options to make their research openly accessible, whether through no-cost routes, library funding, fee waivers, or careful budgeting for publication charges.

No-cost publishing options

Explore ways to make your work open without paying publication fees.

• Publish in no-APC journals: Use the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) to find journals with no article processing charges.
• Self-archive in repositories: Deposit your work in an open repository such as MRU's Open Access Repository.
  • Learn more about copyright and depositing here.
  • Use the Open policy finder tool (formerly known as Sherpa Romeo) to check journal archiving policies.

Publishing with APCs

Some journals require article processing charges (APCs) to make work openly accessible.

• Open access journals: Fully open access journals, where all articles are freely available and often require APCs as part of their publishing model.
• Hybrid journals: Hybrid journals, subscription based journals that allow articles to be made open with the payment of an APC. 

Library support for APCs

Take advantage of funding and fee waivers available to MRU faculty.

• Apply for the Open Access Fund: The library offers reimbursements for APCs in eligible publications.
• Find fee waivers using the OA Fee Finder: Use the fee finder to locate APC waivers and discounts available to MRU-affiliated authors via library publisher agreements (restrictions apply).

Planning for APCs

Proactively plan for APCs in your research budget.

• Include APCs in grant proposals: Funding agencies like CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC consider these as allowable expenses.
• Estimate APC costs: Check journal websites for estimates.

Highlighting your Open Access Contributions

Sharing your open access efforts can demonstrate the broader impact of your work and how it aligns with institutional and public values.

• Showcase impact: Highlight how open access makes your research accessible to wider audiences, including practitioners, policymakers, and the public.
• Document contributions: Include open access publications, self-archiving efforts, and repository participation.
• Align with values: Emphasize how open access supports institutional goals like equity, inclusion, and public engagement.
• Use metrics: Share evidence of engagement, such as downloads, shares, or mentions in policy documents or public forums.

Need help?

Contact your Subject Librarian for further support with open publishing.

The Library maintains an Open Access Fund to support scholarly publishing by MRU authors seeking to openly disseminate their research by reimbursing eligible open access fees related to publishing their research in OA formats. To date the Library OA fund has supported more than 40 publications by MRU authors. You can view them in our repository.

Author Eligibility

The Fund accepts applications from the primary author (e.g., lead, first-named, or corresponding), who will take responsibility for submitting the grant request and receiving reimbursement. This author must be affiliated with MRU as a:

• Tenured, tenurable, or contract faculty member
• Full-time administrator or staff member
• Undergraduate student

Co-authors do not have to be affiliated with MRU.

In the event that a project has existing research funding, the request must be accompanied by a declaration that the open access APCs have not already been covered by the grant or are ineligible under the grant.

Publication Criteria

Articles: The Fund reimburses article processing charges (APCs) for manuscripts accepted to peer-reviewed journals that:

• Use a full open access publishing model.
• Are listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
• Publicly list their OA fees publicly on their website
• Release the open access version immediately upon publication (e.g., no embargo period)
• Applies a Creative Commons license to the article

Check the journal webpage to find this information or search the DOAJ for journals and license options.

Books/Chapters: The Fund reviews OA publishing fees for books/book chapters on a case-by-case basis to account for the varying OA models used by monograph publishers. Generally we expect the following criteria:

• The work is openly accessible immediately upon publication; in the case of a book chapter, this applies to the entire book
• The publisher
  • Is already be included in the Directory of Open Access Books; or
  • Is a current member of the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association
• OA fees are publicly available on the publisher’s website
• Applies a Creative Commons license to the work

If this information is not available, contact us with supporting evidence (e.g., your publishing contract, emails from your publisher, etc.) and we will review details with you.

Reimbursement Limits

Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, at the time of reimbursement, and require a paid invoice before approval of the reimbursement.

• Maximum reimbursement is normally capped at $3,000 (CDN) per individual per fiscal year. This can be for a single publication or split across multiple publications.
• We retroactively reimburse fees paid within the past calendar year, based on the date of application to the Fund. All other Fund requirements, eligibility criteria, and processes still apply.

Mandatory Deposit in the IR

Authors who accept their awarded grant under this fund must deposit a version of their research in the Mount Royal University Institutional Repository. Authors are also encouraged to consider depositing appropriate supporting data in the Mount Royal University Data Repository. In the case of publisher embargo, the manuscript should still be deposited as soon as possible with the appropriate repository embargo provisions in place.

The Library can assist with this process. Contact mrujs@mtroyal.ca for more information.

Applying to the Fund

Please use the electronic application form to apply.

FAQs

How much is in the Fund?

• We have set aside $15,000 (CDN) to reimburse authors for the current fiscal year.

Are formats other than journal articles and books/chapters eligible?

• Maybe. We recognize and are encouraged that open access research can come in a wide variety of formats beyond traditional articles and books. We are willing to consider alternative formats on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us for further information.

How do I apply?

• Please use the electronic application form to apply.

Who do I contact if I have questions or want some help?

• We welcome any questions and are happy to assist you with any part of the process. Please use the contact section to find out how to get in touch with us.

Do other universities offer this kind of fund?

• Many universities in Canada and around the world also offer an open access fund in support of their local researchers. For examples, please see the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC) curated list showing OA funds in action.

How do I budget for OA fees or article processing charges (APCs) in my grant proposals?

• We recommend budgeting publication charges as part of your grant proposal since many funding agencies treat open access fees as allowable grant expenses. Some examples include:
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
  • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
• To estimate these costs, try reviewing the websites of appropriate journals/publishers where you hope to publish your research. Your subject librarian can help you with this.