Definitions

The following four options for accessing online content are available:

  1. Paid access is the default option, resulting in no specific requirements for the XML or PDF. The default instructions will guarantee the proper publication at brill.com. Access to the publication is set up through the Access Management System (AMS)
  2. Free access to specific content is Brill's decision. It means that the content can be accessed by everyone. This Free access can be setup in the AMS, in case it concerns a complete publication, or in the XML if it concerns only part of a publication, such as the front matter of a book or journal volume / issue.
  3. Open access is "bought" by the author or institution. License type and copyright information should be specified in the XML. For the printed version, this should be mentioned at page iv of a book (if the complete book is published in Open Access), in the journal volume prelims (in case of an Open Access journal) or at the first page of the article/chapter (if only this contribution is published in Open Access).
  4. Gratis access is listed here for reasons of completeness. Gratis access to specific content is set up in the AMS. There are no further requirements for the XML. Thus, gratis access can be regarded as paid access for one or more specific users, for example the editor of a book series, without sending an invoice.

In the next paragraphs, further information and guidelines are given for the 2nd and 3rd option.

Free access

Different reasons

As mentioned in the definition, it is Brill's decision to make specific content accessible for everyone / make it available for free. Reasons to decide to do so can be:

Free access can be set up in the XML or in the Access Management System (AMS). The XML-instruction supports the option for a start and end date (see the next paragraph). If no end date is specified, free access will be perpetual and can only be changed by modifying the XML. No start date means that free access starts immediate after uploading the content to the platform. If free access is needed for a complete publication, defined in the AMS, it is often easier to arrange free access through the AMS. In this case, there is no need to modify the XML and - second benefit - free access can be discontinued any moment. 

A request to set up free access should be sent to the production controller of the book, book series or journal by the acquisitions editor, or on their behalf.

XML consequences

In the BITS- and JATS- XML, free access is defined by including the <ali:free_to_read>-element in the <permissions>-group. Some examples:

1. Free access to a specific article or section of a book

without specifying @start-date and - especially - @end-date, free access is given for an unlimited period of time. 

<permissions>
   <copyright-statement>© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2021</copyright-statement>
   <copyright-year>2021</copyright-year>
   <copyright-holder>Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Brill Hes & De Graaf, Brill Nijhoff, Brill Rodopi, Brill Sense, Hotei Publishing, mentis Verlag, Verlag Ferdinand Schöningh and Wilhelm Fink Verlag.</copyright-holder>
   <ali:free_to_read xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/"/>
</permissions>

2. Free access for a limited period

 Free access to the selected content is limited to the 2nd half year of 2022.

<permissions>
   <copyright-statement>© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2021</copyright-statement>
   <copyright-year>2021</copyright-year>
   <copyright-holder>Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Brill Hes & De Graaf, Brill Nijhoff, Brill Rodopi, Brill Sense, Hotei Publishing, mentis Verlag, Verlag Ferdinand Schöningh and Wilhelm Fink Verlag.</copyright-holder>
   <ali:free_to_read xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/" start-date="2022-07-01" end-date="2022-12-31"/>
</permissions>

See also

Open Access

Different reasons for Open Access

As with free access, the decision to publish in Open Access might have different reasons:

Supported Open Access Licenses

Brill supports the following three Creative Commons Open Access Licenses (click the license type for the information on the Creative Commons website) :

  1. CC BY: You are free to:
    1. Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
    2. Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
      Under the following terms:
    3. Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. 
  2. CC BY-NC: You are free to:
    1. Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
    2. Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material

      Under the following terms:

    3. Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.

    4. Noncommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.

  3. CC BY-NC-ND:  You are free to:
    1. Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format

      Under the following terms:

    2. Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.

    3. Noncommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.

    4. No derivatives — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material.

See also