Libraries Support for Open Access Publishing
The Carnegie Mellon University Libraries support Open Access publishing in many ways. As a world-leading research institution, Carnegie Mellon is a major creator and consumer of scholarly materials. We aim to provide the CMU campus with a range of Open Access publishing options, including self archiving, publisher agreements and subventions of funds for Article Processing Charges (APCs).
Publisher Agreements
The Libraries has Open Access agreements with various publishers, including Elsevier, Wiley, Cambridge University Press, Springer, Institute of Physics, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), American Chemical Society (ACS), Cold Spring Harbor Press, Public Library of Science (PLoS), and Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). We focus on building relationships with publishers that prioritize open access and sustainability while meeting the publication needs of the university community. See if your journal of choice is covered.
Self Archiving
Green Open Access, also referred to as self-archiving, is an OA route that enables authors to post an earlier manuscript to an open repository such as Kilthub. Green OA allows publications to be made open online, even if the official published version is behind a pay-wall. In this model, the author usually will have transferred the copyright to the journal and are not permitted to share the final published version of the manuscript. Find out more about the legalities of self archiving.
Article Processing Charges Fund (APC Fund)
Current Carnegie Mellon University faculty members, staff, research scientists, post-docs, and graduate students are eligible for a subsidy from the Libraries to cover part of the costs of article processing charges in fully open-access journals if they are the article's corresponding author and do not have designated grant funding to pay for APCs. Learn more about the process and conditions.
Hosting an Open Access Journal with CMU Press Journals
CMU Press Journals provides academy-owned, library-subsidized publishing for diamond open access journals edited by CMU affiliates. The services of our journals division include ISSN registration, indexing, DOI assignment and editorial training. Authors retain all copyright. We publish using the Janeway open-source platform, which supports flexible peer review models and streamlined editorial workflows from submission through publication.
CMU Press Open Education
CMU Press Open Education represents our commitment to democratizing access to high-quality educational content while supporting pedagogical innovation and educational transformation. This new imprint of the Press aims to transform the educational landscape by publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed materials that reduce financial barriers to education while maintaining rigorous academic standards. Learn more about OER at CMU.
Open Theses and Dissertations
In accordance with Carnegie Mellon’s Student Handbook, most graduate students are required to submit copies of their theses and dissertations via their graduate coordinator to the University Libraries. This requirement serves to preserve, showcase, and disseminate the unique, original research produced by CMU scholars. Learn more about the dissertation and thesis submission process.