Read & Publish agreements combine journal subscription and open access publishing fees into a single agreement managed by the Library. This allows Flinders University researchers to publish open access in selected journals without paying an article processing charge.
What are Read & Publish caps?
Read & Publish agreements with caps limit the number of articles that can be published open access through the agreement. Once the cap is reached, no further articles can be covered under that agreement.
When will the caps be reached in 2025?
Several of our agreements are currently forecasted to reach their caps in the coming months:
❌ Wiley (hybrid journals), cap exhausted on 19 September 2025
❌ Springer Nature, cap exhausted on 9 October 2025
❌ Taylor and Francis, cap exhausted on 24 October 2025
❌ Wiley (fully open access journals), cap exhausted on 28 October 2025
✅ AIP Publishing, cap not expected to be reached in 2025
✅ Elsevier, cap not expected to be reached in 2025
What happens when a cap is reached?
If an article is accepted after a cap has been exhausted, the author will no longer be offered the option to publish open access under the agreement. This applies to both hybrid journals (which publish a mix of open access and subscription content) and fully open access journals. Authors will still be able to publish, but their options will change:
For hybrid journals:
- Publish behind a paywall (subscription-only), or
- Pay an Article Processing Charge to make the article open access.
For fully open access journals:
- Pay an Article Processing Charge to publish open access —there is no subscription-only option.
Advice for authors
We understand that navigating these caps can be frustrating. Here’s our guidance to help you plan:
- Check journal type: Whether a journal is hybrid or fully open access affects your options. You can find this information on a journal’s website or contact library staff for help.
- Be aware of timing: While some estimates can be made based on publisher timelines, delays can occur at any stage. There are no guarantees that your article will be accepted before a cap is reached.
- Deposit your Author Accepted Manuscript (AAM): If you publish behind a paywall, you can still make your work openly accessible by depositing the AAM in ResearchNow – our institutional repository. Library staff can assist with this process.
- Plan for Article Processing Charges: If you are submitting to a capped fully open access journal, consider setting aside funds in case the cap is reached before your article is accepted. Article Processing Charge information is usually available on a journal’s website.
- Be cautious if a publisher suggests delaying submission or acceptance to benefit from next year’s cap. This often just shifts demand and uses up the following year’s allocation faster. Extra care is also advised while agreements are under renegotiation for 2026.
Looking ahead
In upcoming negotiations, the Council of Australasian Librarians (CAUL) have teamed up with Universities Australia, and Universities New Zealand – Te Pōkai Tara, to strike a better deal on open access research publishing. For more information, read the joint media statement here.
We will continue to update our list of included journals with the latest cap projections and agreement updates. If you have questions or need support, please contact the Library’s Research Engagement team.