• When submitting a paper with a publisher, can I make changes to the copyright transfer agreement or offer an alternative agreement?
• Are there any model licenses available that I can use?
• How can I find out which publishers have “open” copyright agreements?
• Will publishers still publish my article if I have made a pre-print available in the institutional repository?
• Where can I find out more?

When submitting a paper with a publisher, can I make changes to the copyright transfer agreement or offer an alternative agreement?

If you are in the process of publishing your material with a publisher you might wish to consider retaining rights in order to place a paper in an institutional repository. Most publishers are willing to discuss copyright agreements with authors. You might wish to amend the existing agreement or suggest using an alternative agreement. Some publishers may offer the option to sign a License to Publish rather than a Copyright Transfer Agreement. These are often more liberal and may permit authors to deposit their papers in institutional repositories.

Are there any model licenses available that I can use?

SURF and JISC have published a model agreement that will help authors make appropriate arrangements with publishers for the publication of a journal article. This "Licence to Publish" is the result of several years of international consultation and aims to establish a balance of rights and interests in the emerging scholarly communications environment. JISC/SURF press release.

How can I find out which publishers have "open" copyright agreements?

Many publishers make their copyright agreements available on their web sites. Most agreements make it clear what rights authors are permitted to retain. If this is not the case it is best to contact the publisher directly. You can also consult the list of publishers copyright policies and policies on self-archiving maintained by the SHERPA Project. Note that this list is not comprehensive, and it may not include information on the publisher you are interested in. However, it provides a useful way of seeing at a glance which publishers have open copyright agreements. The Lund Directory of Open Access Journals lists "free, full text, quality controlled scientific and scholarly journals by title and by subject".

Can I still publish my article if I have made a pre-print available in the institutional repository?

This varies depending on the discipline you work in and the publisher. In some academic disciplines it is common to share research findings quickly whereas in others it is unusual to do this. If you are not sure speak to your supervisor before depositing a pre-print in the repository. Many publishers make it a condition of publication that they will not consider any articles which have already been made publicly available. Some publishers specify that making a work available in a repository constitutes "prior publication". If in doubt check with the publisher directly.  

Where can I find out more? 

A very useful website is the copyright toolbox which is a result of research funded by SURF and the JISC. It has been developed to assist authors and publishers to achieve a balance between granting maximum access to a journal article and financial compensation for the publication by the publisher of this article.