SPEC Kit 311: Public Access Policies · 15
“examples of the various issues and how they were
resolved” was another suggestion.
Challenges with PAP Compliance Support
ARL libraries listed a number of challenges encoun-
tered when helping authors comply with public access
policies. Addressing the initial lack of knowledge and
understanding of public access policies, on the part of
both authors and library staff, was one frequently cited
challenge. Some respondents related the challenge of
dealing with authors who have paid little attention to
copyright — authors did not understand the publisher
agreements they had signed or had little knowledge
of author rights in general. One library reported that
most of the questions it fielded pertained to “pub-
lisher contracts and intellectual property rights in
general, rather than directly related to the NIH man-
date.” Clarification of journal policies was also cited
as a challenge. One library reported that their greatest
challenge is getting the attention of busy researchers.
In order to address some of these challenges, re-
spondents offered a variety of solutions. Those solu-
tions include providing copyright support services
and educational programs, creating flowcharts that
outline the compliance process, developing work-
shops for library staff, creating letters to be used for
publishers, and creating lists of publisher policies.
Two strategies noted by respondents to address the
challenge of meeting with busy researchers were:
“using familiar contact people to make the initial ap-
proach” and “library staff remaining flexible as to
when and how they met with researchers.”
Conclusions
Based on the responses to the survey, academic librar-
ies have forged a prominent role in responding to PAP
mandates. ARL libraries have swiftly responded to the
urgent need for information about PAP compliance
to the members of their university communities and,
in many instances, have initiated collaborations with
units outside of the library. ARL member libraries are
proactively providing comprehensive PAP compli-
ance support to authors. There is no “one-size-fits-
all” resource or service that addresses the compliance
challenge. It is the multiplicity of resources and ser-
vices provided, such as policy overviews, compliance
guidance, training materials, FAQs, flowcharts and
guides, personalized one-on-one consultations, and
customized presentations, that are successfully ad-
dressing the needs of authors. As familiarity with
PAPs increases over time, individual authors may have
less need for specialized individualized services and
resources. However, at this early stage of PAP compli-
ance, the personalized services and resources pro-
vided by the ARL libraries are effectively addressing
the needs within their institutions.
It is evident from the responses that interactions
with authors who are required to comply with PAPs
have allowed ARL libraries many opportunities to
introduce peripheral issues such as author rights,
copyright and intellectual property, open access pub-
lishing, and institutional repositories — topics not
typically associated with libraries. Many libraries
reported providing services and resources such as
reviewing publisher copyright forms and grant ap-
plications, counseling on copyright and negotiation
of author rights, creating customized addenda, estab-
lishing a fund to help pay for publisher fees, establish-
ing or expanding institutional repositories, creating
Web sites on copyright, and providing presentations
on publishing and publication models. Such services
and resources help to ease the burden of authors and
in turn, arm authors with options for exercising con-
trol over the dissemination of their scientific discover-
ies and intellectual output.
One promising trend noted in the survey re-
sponses is the extent of the collaboration with units
outside of the library. Respondents reported part-
nerships with units such as an Office of Research,
Office of General Counsel, Grants and Contracts, Vice
Provost of Research, Office of Sponsored Awards
Management, and others. A number of libraries re-
ported taking the initiative in reaching out to these
units and in some cases, guiding the development of
programs for PAP compliance support and serving
as active partners. As one respondent reported, the
library provides “consultation, expertise, drafting of
language, and advocacy for policies in support of pub-
lic access.” Another respondent noted, “The librarians
tend to keep abreast of developments, provide train-
ing and assistance, and recommend procedures. The
units external to the library serve more as receivers
“examples of the various issues and how they were
resolved” was another suggestion.
Challenges with PAP Compliance Support
ARL libraries listed a number of challenges encoun-
tered when helping authors comply with public access
policies. Addressing the initial lack of knowledge and
understanding of public access policies, on the part of
both authors and library staff, was one frequently cited
challenge. Some respondents related the challenge of
dealing with authors who have paid little attention to
copyright — authors did not understand the publisher
agreements they had signed or had little knowledge
of author rights in general. One library reported that
most of the questions it fielded pertained to “pub-
lisher contracts and intellectual property rights in
general, rather than directly related to the NIH man-
date.” Clarification of journal policies was also cited
as a challenge. One library reported that their greatest
challenge is getting the attention of busy researchers.
In order to address some of these challenges, re-
spondents offered a variety of solutions. Those solu-
tions include providing copyright support services
and educational programs, creating flowcharts that
outline the compliance process, developing work-
shops for library staff, creating letters to be used for
publishers, and creating lists of publisher policies.
Two strategies noted by respondents to address the
challenge of meeting with busy researchers were:
“using familiar contact people to make the initial ap-
proach” and “library staff remaining flexible as to
when and how they met with researchers.”
Conclusions
Based on the responses to the survey, academic librar-
ies have forged a prominent role in responding to PAP
mandates. ARL libraries have swiftly responded to the
urgent need for information about PAP compliance
to the members of their university communities and,
in many instances, have initiated collaborations with
units outside of the library. ARL member libraries are
proactively providing comprehensive PAP compli-
ance support to authors. There is no “one-size-fits-
all” resource or service that addresses the compliance
challenge. It is the multiplicity of resources and ser-
vices provided, such as policy overviews, compliance
guidance, training materials, FAQs, flowcharts and
guides, personalized one-on-one consultations, and
customized presentations, that are successfully ad-
dressing the needs of authors. As familiarity with
PAPs increases over time, individual authors may have
less need for specialized individualized services and
resources. However, at this early stage of PAP compli-
ance, the personalized services and resources pro-
vided by the ARL libraries are effectively addressing
the needs within their institutions.
It is evident from the responses that interactions
with authors who are required to comply with PAPs
have allowed ARL libraries many opportunities to
introduce peripheral issues such as author rights,
copyright and intellectual property, open access pub-
lishing, and institutional repositories — topics not
typically associated with libraries. Many libraries
reported providing services and resources such as
reviewing publisher copyright forms and grant ap-
plications, counseling on copyright and negotiation
of author rights, creating customized addenda, estab-
lishing a fund to help pay for publisher fees, establish-
ing or expanding institutional repositories, creating
Web sites on copyright, and providing presentations
on publishing and publication models. Such services
and resources help to ease the burden of authors and
in turn, arm authors with options for exercising con-
trol over the dissemination of their scientific discover-
ies and intellectual output.
One promising trend noted in the survey re-
sponses is the extent of the collaboration with units
outside of the library. Respondents reported part-
nerships with units such as an Office of Research,
Office of General Counsel, Grants and Contracts, Vice
Provost of Research, Office of Sponsored Awards
Management, and others. A number of libraries re-
ported taking the initiative in reaching out to these
units and in some cases, guiding the development of
programs for PAP compliance support and serving
as active partners. As one respondent reported, the
library provides “consultation, expertise, drafting of
language, and advocacy for policies in support of pub-
lic access.” Another respondent noted, “The librarians
tend to keep abreast of developments, provide train-
ing and assistance, and recommend procedures. The
units external to the library serve more as receivers
