Free and Open Access Resources

What does embargo mean and can I get the article anyway?

When an article is under an embargo it means that there is a delay, as specified by the publisher, between when the article is published and when its full version can be made freely available in PMC. The default embargo or release delay for each journal in PMC can be found under the “Free Access” column on the PMC Journal List and the exact release date for each article under embargo can be found on the table of contents for the issue in which the article appears or in the corresponding PubMed record. To obtain an article prior to its availability in PMC, you will need to get access through the journal publisher or their website directly. 

I know this journal has open access articles but I can't get to the one I want.  Why not?

Some journals are hybrids, containing both open access and embargoed items.

Why does PubMed Central have a filter for Open Access?  Isn't everything in PMC open access?

The majority of the articles in PMC are subject to traditional copyright restrictions. They are free to access, but they are not Open Access articles in the specialized sense of that term.

Who contributes to PubMed Central?

PMC accepts articles from journals that meet PMC’s scientific, editorial, and technical standards and sign a PMC participation agreement with the National Library of Medicine (NLM). To become a PMC-participating journal, the publisher must submit a formal application after which NLM will review the scientific and editorial quality of the content as well as the technical quality of the journal’s digital files

What is the PubMed Central Open Access subset? Isn't everything in PubMed Central open access?

The majority of the articles in PMC are subject to traditional copyright restrictions. They are free to access, but they are not Open Access articles in the specialized sense of that term.  The PMC Open Access Subset contains articles that are still protected by copyright, but are made available under a Creative Commons or similar license that generally allows more liberal redistribution and reuse than a traditional copyrighted work.

Doesn't Open Access mean lower standards, especially when the author has to pay for publication?

Not necessarily.  For example, The BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal) is an international peer reviewed medical journal that publishes on an open access model.  Their website states "The full text of every research article published in The BMJ is immediately accessible on thebmj.com through open access, for everyone. The BMJ is committed to keeping research articles open access, with Creative Commons licences, and to depositing the full text content in PubMedCentral as well as full open access on thebmj.com. To support this we now ask all authors to pay an open access fee."  

BioMed Central states: "We are committed to maintaining high standards through full and stringent peer review.  The detailed peer-review policy of each journal is the responsibility of the journal editor(s) concerned; for example, some journals operate an open and others a closed peer review system." https://www.biomedcentral.com/about/standards-and-affiliations

What is Creative Commons licensing?

Creative Commons is an American non-profit organization devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share.

If I find an article but can't get full-text, can I call the Library of RUSH University Medical Center and request it?

Our vendors do not allow us to provide that service.  This guide provides many alternative ways to find articles.

PubMed Central information courtesy of https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/about/faq/#q19