New Libraries Tool Simplifies the Search for Open Access Publishing

Rutgers research is committed to advancing knowledge that can lead to real solutions for communities worldwide. Publishing open access expands the reach and potential impact of this work through increased access, visibility, and citations. According to Open Alex data from 2020 to 2025, Rutgers open access articles were cited 44 percent more often than subscription articles. However, open access publishing often comes at a steep cost: typically, thousands of dollars in Article Processing Charges (APCs) for a single publication.

Open Journal Finder, a new tool from Rutgers University Libraries, enables Rutgers researchers to find publishers with waived or reduced APCs in a single click. These savings are provided through the Libraries’ transformative agreements with 27 publishers. The agreements themselves are not new—although the number of publishers they include has increased each year—but the tool removes a barrier for authors who are trying to figure out where to publish their research. 

“Every day, I was fielding questions from somebody trying to navigate the transformative agreements list,” said Jeffrey Carroll, director of collections strategy for Rutgers University Libraries. The extensive list, organized by publisher name and requiring multiple clicks to access associated journals, is difficult to navigate quickly—especially for a researcher trying to explore and compare options.

Now, with the Open Journal Finder, authors can easily search the available options by publisher name, journal name, or subject area, and the results can be filtered by journal type and publication cost. Journals included in Rutgers transformative agreements display an open lock icon and the words “library supported.”

“Transformative agreements are such an important aspect of the Libraries’ support for the Rutgers research enterprise,” said Consuella Askew, vice president for university libraries and university librarian. “Each year, the university saves more than $3 million in APCs through these agreements. We hope that with this new tool in place, that cost savings figure will increase as more authors utilize this key resource.”

To learn more about Open Journal Finder, register for our October 19 workshop.