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Publishing open access

How to publish OA

1. Publish with a hybrid subscription journal

If you are submitting a paper to a closed journal, but want your paper to be open, you often have the option to pay the publisher directly for this right. If you have trouble finding this information, please contact the scholarly communications and copyright department for complimentary assistance.

2. Submit to an open access journal 

The Directory of Open Access Journals can identify. Some open access journals charge article processing fees, much like those charged by closed journals for “hybrid” open access, and some do not. Please note: there are some questionable open access publishers. Consult UTL's "Identifying Deceptive Publishers Checklist" before submitting to an open access journal.

3. Deposit into a repository

Repositories are online databases that aim to collect, preserve and make accessible intellectual outputs. Some are defined by the subject matter of their materials (subject repositories) and some by the organization from which their materials are produced (institutional repositories). The Directory of Open Access Repositories provides an overview of OA journals.

If you are a member of the University of Toronto community, the most convenient option is to submit to TSpace. All items in TSpace are openly accessible, either immediately or after the publisher's embargo period. Additionally, faculty receiving Tri-Agency (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR) funding can request deposit assistance to comply with funder’s open access policy. Visit the First Time Users page or contact TSpace's staff.

How to find OA materials

Directories 

For additional information, see the Open Education page for more open, free, and affordable course materials.

Browser extensions

Unpaywall and Open Access Button can help locate open access materials online. Install these browser extensions and they will automatically suggest open versions of academic papers when available.

Starting an open access journal

Journal Production Services at the University of Toronto Libraries support open access publishing at U of T by providing free hosting for academic faculty and student journals on Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform.

OJS is a collaborative, open source publishing platform developed and maintained by the Public Knowledge Project (PKP) that assists with every stage of the refereed publishing process, from submissions through peer review and online publication. Journal publishers maintain control over their content, editorial workflows, policies, and website interface, while the UTL team provides technical support and troubleshooting for the platform.

Visit the JPS website to see the collection of journals hosted by the UTL.
If you are interested in starting a journal or moving to OJS, consult the Getting Started guide or contact jps@library.utoronto.ca.