The long-awaited update to the RCUK statement on Open Access has been
published today. It can be found at:
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/access2006statement.pdf
The crucial wording is:
'4. Research councils agree that their funded researchers should, where
required to do so, deposit the outputs from research councils funded
research in an acceptable repository as designated by the individual
research council. This requirement will be effective from the time indicated
in the guidance from the individual research council, This guidance will be
published on individual Research Council websites and will, where
appropriate, require funded researchers to:
. Personally deposit, or otherwise ensure the deposit of, a copy of any
resultant articles published in journals or conference proceedings, in an
appropriate repository, as designated by the individual research council.
. Wherever possible, personally deposit, or otherwise ensure the deposit of,
the bibliographical metadata relating to such articles, including a link to
the publisher's website, at or around the time of publication.'
That is, each individual Research Councils will have discretion to 'require'
(or not) deposition in an OA repository. Expect the publishers' lobbying to
transfer to the individual RCs now.
Fytton Rowland, Loughborough University
Received on Wed Jun 28 2006 - 15:22:46 BST