Requests to reproduce APS materials: Institutional repositories

It is becoming increasingly common for institutions to establish repositories where the work of staff and students is freely accessible by the community. The APS copyright and author rights policies apply to requests to archive works contained in APS journals and publications (including journal supplements), in institutional repositories (electronic or otherwise):

1. There is a 12-month embargo on the reproduction of any papers, abstracts or other works published in our academic journals (i.e. postprints may not be placed on a university repository until 12 months after the date of first online publication of an APS journal).
2. There is a 12-month embargo on the reproduction of any papers, abstracts, posters or other works published at our conferences. The exception to this is that abstracts from the APS Annual Conference are subject to an embargo of 12 months, as cited in (1) above.
3. Only an unenhanced copy of the postprint may be placed in the repository; that is, a 'flat' form document (not necessarily a pdf of the article as appearing in the publication), and it must be without referencing or other links which would enhance use of the article.
4. The postprint cannot be included in the university repository for the purpose of commercial sale or for any systematic distribution by a third party.
5. Acknowledgment of the first publication of the article must be included as follows: 'This is an electronic version of an article published in [include the complete citation information for the final version of the article as published in the print edition of the journal]'.
6. Subject to observance of (1) through to (5) above, there is a two-step process required before works are entered into the repository:
   • Step 1: The institutional repository must be registered with the APS by submitting a 'Copyright permission request: Registration of institutional repositories' form. This form is submitted once only and registers the repository with the APS.
   • Step 2: A 'Notification of archiving: For institutional repositories' form must be submitted for each work 'self-archived' in the repository, prior to the work being uploaded. This form is processed and returned, outlining the conditions under which the work can be uploaded onto the repository. 

Contact [email protected] for further information.