Opening Up Access: Using Transformative Agreements to Diversify Health Sciences Publishing

Authors

Irma Qavolli, MSLIS, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Gary Kaplan, MLIS, AHIP, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Beth Ten Have, MLIS, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

4-2025

Comments

Presented at the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) 2025 Conference.

Abstract

Background

Students and early-career researchers face systemic obstacles to becoming authors in health sciences journals, such as mentorship, time, and funding.^1,2 As librarians, we believe that open access publishing provides these new voices with greater visibility and accessibility to their research. However, “[early-career researchers] cited high article processing charges (APCs) and perceived lack of journal quality or prestige as barriers to OA publishing.”³ Since 2023, Thomas Jefferson University has offered multiple Transformative Agreements (TAs) to waive article processing charges (APCs) for open access publishing in high quality journals for our patrons. We wondered, can TAs bolster publishing in students and early-career researchers? As one of our authors (IQ) became the point person for our initial TA with Wiley, she was interested in analyzing its impact on student publishing. In this poster, we have presented the results of that analysis.

Recommended Citation

Qavolli, MSLIS, Irma; Kaplan, MLIS, AHIP, Gary; and Ten Have, MLIS, Beth, "Opening Up Access: Using Transformative Agreements to Diversify Health Sciences Publishing" (2025). Academic Commons and Scott Memorial Library Staff Papers and Presentations. Paper 59.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/aisrpubs/59

Language

English