In the context of Open Access, an embargo is a restriction on public access to an accepted manuscript either until or beyond the publication date. Two different types of embargoes can be required by publishers - publication embargoes and press embargoes.
These are applied to the full texts in a repository such as CentAUR. Most publishers require the AAM (author accepted manuscript) to be embargoed until publication of the VoR (version of record) or beyond. Embargo periods vary but are typically 6-12 months after publication. Some are longer.
You can check the publication embargo period for a particular journal using the SHERPA Romeo tool. This information may also be found on publishers’ websites.
NB The UKRI does not permit publication embargoes to be added to journal articles resulting from its funding. See our guidance for UKRI funded authors.
Yes, even if an embargo is required, you must add the AAM as soon as it is accepted for publication in order to comply with the OA policies of UoR, REF, UKRI and other funders.
CentAUR staff will ensure that the publisher policy is respected. They will:
The metadata record will be publicly visible on CentAUR and will become findable through public search engines such as Google. The full text will appear on the metadata record as a locked file and will not be searchable or downloadable until the embargo period has expired.
Press or news embargoes are restrictions for the benefit of press and media outlets. After acceptance, the final versions of papers are restricted from public view but are released to the press so that journalists have an opportunity to prepare high quality press releases before general discussion by the media. Publication of both the press releases and the journal article coincide at which point the press embargo no longer applies. Press embargoes are not intended to restrict discussion and sharing between researchers but they do often appear at odds with institutional repository policies requiring deposit on acceptance.
Yes, BUT you must inform CentAUR staff about any press embargo communicated to you by your publisher, otherwise they will not be aware of it. Upload the AAM to CentAUR as soon as accepted AND state in the Comments field that a press embargo is in place. CentAUR staff will then restrict access to it until publication. You should inform them as soon as it is published.
It is still important to deposit your publication in CentAUR as soon as accepted for publication so that you can comply with the OA policies of UoR, REF, UKRI and other funders. Do not wait until publication.
There can be other reasons for embargoing a publication in CentAUR. These include commercial sensitivity, that you are preparing your own press announcement or that the work is subject to a patent.
In these cases, please contact centaur@reading.ac.uk for advice as soon as the publication is accepted by the publisher and before uploading to CentAUR.