The Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) and Open Access Australasia wish to express our joint concerns over the recent introduction of the Article Development Charge (ADC) model by the American Chemical Society (ACS).
CAUL and Open Access Australasia firmly believe in fostering an environment where scholarly research is not only accessible but can be shared widely without unnecessary financial burdens on the researchers or institutions: where there is equity to both publish and read.
CAUL Members and others across the Australian scholarly community have expressed many concerns in recent days, which are reflected in this statement. We urge ACS to reconsider this model, taking into account the broader implications for the academic community, especially those concerning open access, transparency, and equity, and to support broader efforts to ensure authors retain rights – at no cost – over their accepted manuscripts.