Springer and LWW open access caps reached for 2024: What you need to know

The news

The Dutch universities, including Maastricht University, have reached the 2024 caps for (prepaid) open-access publishing with Springer and Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW). This means that authors can only publish their articles open access outside our national agreements if they incur Article Processing Charges (APCs) for the remainder of the year.

Impact on Maastricht University researchers

This development is relevant to Maastricht University scholars planning to publish in Springer or LWW journals. The cap for Springer was set at 2,067 publications for 2024, while LWW had a limit of 270 articles.

With these limits now reached, authors must explore alternative options to make their research accessible.

Options for affected authors

If you’re a Maastricht University researcher affected by this change, you have several options:

1. Pay the APC: You can still publish open access in Springer or LWW journals by covering the APC (publishing costs are research costs). Consider using your research budget or exploring funding options from your department or external grants.
2. Delayed Open Access: Opt for a ‘closed access’ publication and utilise the Taverne Amendment to share your article publicly in the university’s institutional repository after a six-month embargo period.
3. Green Open Access: Self-archive your article’s Author Accepted Manuscript (AAM). This typically involves an embargo period, but you can assign a Creative Commons license to the AAM.
4. Alternative Open-Access Journals: Consider publishing in other open-access journals where Maastricht University still has active agreements or discounts, or select a Diamond Open-Access journal that does not charge an APC.

Planning for future publications

To avoid similar situations in the future:

• Submit manuscripts early in the year to take advantage of open access agreements before caps are reached
• Regularly check the Maastricht University Open Access Journal Browser for up-to-date information on agreement statuses and follow our news and updates
• Consider budgeting for potential APCs in your research grants and project planning

More information

Further reading and sources:

• Springer Open Access discount quota 2024 is nearing its limit: what you need to know  
• APC discount quota for LWW nearing its limit: what authors need to know  
• Openaccess.nl – News & Events  
• UM|MUMC+ Publishing & Open Access Portal

Support and contact:

• Please use our Ask Your Librarian service for prompt answers to concrete questions and issues.
• If you have questions, ideas, or feedback, please comment below or message us at openaccess@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
• Subscribe to our monthly Research Support Update to stay informed about changes and updates.
• You can also follow our updates, engage with us and discuss this topic with our UMployee group (intranet).
• We can discuss publishing and open-access-related topics during our weekly Open Access Publishing Hour.