Open access books FAQs

1) What is open access publishing? 

Open access publishing is a means by which published research (books or journals) is made freely available to all enabling the widest possible audience to benefit from reading, using and sharing research.

2) What is a Creative Commons licence?

Creative Commons licences provide an easy way to manage copyright terms allowing authors to retain copyright of their work while allowing others to copy, distribute and make some uses of their work. Our recommended licence is CC-BY-NC-ND which enables your work to be copied and shared while also ensuring that your work cannot be altered in any way or hosted on a commercial platform. However all other Creative Commons’ licences are available on request and we comply with all funder mandates.

The full range of Creative Commons licences can be found here.

Funding bodies may require that you choose a particular licence so please do check for specific requirements or alternatively please feel free to contact us for further advice.

3) What is the difference between Green and Gold open access? 

Gold open access - authors publish their work under a Creative Commons licence. The Publisher makes the book freely available for all readers, and the book can be freely copied, distributed, and re-used according to the type of Creative Commons licence applied. This method is usually subject to a Book Processing Charge (BPC).

Green open access - authors publish their research and then self-archive a version of the article for gratis public use in a repository, subject to a number of restrictions. For more information see our green (self-archiving) open access policy. 

4) What is a BPC/CPC (Book Processing Charge/Chapter Processing Charge) and what does it cover?

A book or chapter processing charge (BPC or CPC) covers all the costs of commissioning, copyediting and proofreading, production, digital hosting, dissemination (including indexing) and promotion of your work.  

5) What open access models does BUP use for OA books? 

Our open access monograph offering is a Gold route to open access dissemination that requires payment of a book publishing charge (BPC) to cover publication costs.  

To discuss all available options, please contact the appropriate commissioning editor for your discipline. Information can be found on our subject area pages, or you can contact Open Access Commissioning Editor Rebecca Tomlinson (rebecca.tomlinson@bristol.ac.uk) for any generic queries..

6) Open access Fees 

See our formats and pricing. 

7) What formats do you publish as open access? 

Since 2011 all BUP open access books are published in both pdf and epub digital formats. We also offer print editions for those who wish to purchase them.

 8) Am I entitled to royalties?

As open access books are freely accessible they will not generate royalties; however you may be entitled to royalties from sales of the print version. For further information on this please contact Victoria Pittman (victoria.pittman@bristol.ac.uk).

9) Can I use third party material?

You can use third party material but as with any BUP publication you still need to get permission to reuse any content in which copyright is owned by a third party.

If you do need to seek permission to reproduce any kind of third-party, we recommend that you inform them under which licence you are intending to publish your work.

If permission for third party material is not given we will leave that content out of the open access version.

10) What is your self-archiving policy?

We permit authors to archive their contributions to a range of Bristol University Press and Policy Press publications on non-commercial websites. This can be either via authors' own websites, or via their institution’s or funding body’s online repository or archive, following an appropriate embargo period.

Authors may post their post-acceptance version (pre-copy editing and typesetting) of a contribution or an extract (e.g. a chapter in an edited collection) with prior permission. Only up to 20% of the total work is to be posted online altogether on publicly accessible websites or institutional repositories.

The following conditions apply:

• embargoed for 24 months post-publication;* 
• on not-for-profit server (i.e. personal website, institutional server, not-for-profit subject based servers);
• must be clearly identified as the author's post-acceptance version and state that it is not to be cited;
• with full referencing and online link to details of the published version on the Policy Press' website with acknowledgement wording as below.
  
  

*but this is flexible if you need to comply with funder mandates.

More information can be found here.

11) Where can I find funding for my open access book? 

A broad range of international funders and institutions provide routes to funding the publishing of your research either at the initial point of applying for the original research funding or at completion of your research project. For further information on suitable funding bodies we recommend you check the list of funding bodies on the Sherpa website.

12) Where will my open access book be available to access? 

Our open access books are currently hosted by Bristol University Press Digital, OAPEN and JSTOR.

13) What sort of sales and marketing support will my open access book get from BUP? 

• We ensure all open access Books are discoverable and accessible via the DOAB (Directory of Open Access Books), a variety of library discoverability services and Google Books/Google Scholar;
• When it comes to developing and implementing marketing strategy, all OA books are given the same expert attention as the rest of the list. Our team will provide a comprehensive and cohesive multi-channel marketing plan ensuring your book is promoted through direct, digital and conference/event marketing;
• The BUP marketing team will create engaging content marketing through our blog and social media communities;
• New open access content will feature prominently in our library and subject focussed newsletters;
• If appropriate a print edition of your book will be marketed and sold through the same channels as our existing print list.
  
  

14) I have an existing book contract with BUP/PP - can I change this to publish the book open access? 

Providing you have the funding available you can make the decision to publish your book open access. We recommend you discuss this directly with your Commissioning Editor at the earliest possible stage.

15) How can I submit an open access book or project with open access chapters? 

Contact the relevant Commissioning Editor in your subject area to discuss your proposal.

16) How will I get information about the usage for my book?

We will provide you with annual usage statistics but you can also register with Kudos to see more regular information about your title.