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Publishing Open Access

This guide provides details on Open Access agreements that the Austin has with various publishers. These deals allow for a limited number of credits to waive article processing charges (APCs).

Read and publish deals

The Library is a member of the Victorian Health Libraries Consortium (VHLC), which negotiates “Read & Publish” deals, or “Transformative Agreements” with journal publishers.

These deals allow for Consortium members to publish research as Open Access in subscribed journals, without paying article processing charges (APCs).

This guide provides information on current open access publishing deals.  

Austin Health

To be eligible, you will need to:

  • be employed by Austin Health,
  • have conducted the research as part of your role here,
  • be the corresponding author and use your Austin email address.
  • students at Austin Health are not eligible but may have access to CAUL agreements via their university. 

Mercy Heidelberg

Deals are currently available with Springer and Ovid only. To be eligible, you will need to:

  • be employed by Mercy Heidelberg,
  • have conducted the research as part of your role here,
  • be the corresponding author and use your Mercy Heidelberg email address.
  • Students at Mercy are not eligible but may have access to CAUL agreements via their university. 


CAUL vs VHLC deals

The Council of Australasian University Librarians (CAUL) have negotiated many large agreements with publishers that cover APCs for Open Access publishing. You will have access to CAUL agreements if:

  • you are affiliated with a university,
  • conducted the research as part of your university role,
  • you are the corresponding author using your university email address.

Note that CAUL deals are larger and more likely to be available.

VHLC deals are similar to CAUL deals, in that there is a pool of Open Access credits that is shared amongst member institutions (health libraries in Victoria). However, as a smaller group, credits for VHLC are much more limited. If both options are available to you, please select the CAUL deal.

contact us icon Contact the Austin Health Library
email: library@austin.org.au
phone: 03 9496 5393
hours: Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.00pm

The Library space is available 24/7 to Austin Health and Mercy Heidelberg staff and students. Use your security card for access. Library staff are available Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm except Vic. public holidays.