Open Access

On September 19, 2011, the Faculty approved an “open-access” policy that is intended to make the faculty’s scholarly articles, published in journals and conference proceedings, available to a wider public. Under this policy, faculty members grant to the Trustees of Princeton University a nonexclusive, irrevocable, worldwide license to exercise any and all copyrights in their scholarly articles published in any medium, whether now known or later invented, provided the articles are not sold by the University for a profit, and to authorize others to do the same. This grant applies to all scholarly articles that any person authors or co-authors while appointed as a member of the Faculty, except for any such articles authored or co-authored before the adoption of this policy or subject to a conflicting agreement formed before the adoption of this policy.

To avoid a conflicting transfer of copyright to the publisher and to protect yourself from breach of contract, you can attach an author addendum to your agreement with a publisher. The addendum is specifically designed to deal with the prior license granted to the University.

If you are an author of a peer-reviewed article that has arisen, in whole or in part, from NIH-funded research and is accepted for publication on or after September 19, 2011, you are also subject to the NIH Public Access Policy.

Even without the attachment of an addendum, the license to Princeton will still have force unless it is waived for a particular article. Princeton’s policy contains a provision under which the Provost will waive or suspend application of this license for a particular article authored or co-authored by a faculty member seeking a waiver. Faculty members may request a copyright waiver at here.

To submit scholarly articles subject to Princeton University's Open Access Policy to the Open Access Repository, visit the online Open Access Article Submission Form (access will require your netID and password). If you have any questions about the form or about the Open Access Repository, please send email to [email protected].

The Scholarly Communications website provides information, resources, and services for faculty, researchers, and students regarding Open Access Policy, Open Access in general, and other scholarly communications issues.

Should you have any questions regarding the University’s Open Access or Copyright policy, please contact the Scholarly Communications Office at [email protected].