Springer acquisition FAQ

1. Why has Springer bought BioMed Central?

2. Will this acquisition affect existing contract(s) with BioMed Central?

3. Will the acquisition affect consortium negotiations?

4. Will BioMed Central online platform remain separate from SpringerLink?

5. Will BioMed Central journal content be mirrored on SpringerLink?

6. Will Springer retain the Open Choice option on its traditional titles?

7. Will BioMed Central’s article processing charges be raised to match those of the Springer Open Choice option?

8. How will the sale affect invoices and payments?

9. Will BioMed Central’s research content remain 100% open access?

1. Why has Springer bought BioMed Central?

Springer sees open access publishing as an important and sustainable part of STM publishing. Springer has gained considerable positive experience of the open access model since starting Springer Open Choice in 2004, and with open access continuing to grow, BioMed Central’s position as the leading open access publisher makes it highly complementary to the rest of Springer’s business. The acquisition also strengthens Springer’s position in the life sciences and biomedicine, and will allow the company to offer societies a greater range of publishing options.

2. Will this acquisition affect existing contract(s) with BioMed Central?

Your contract(s) will continue to be with BioMed Central, and will not change as a result of the acquisition. BioMed Central Limited remains an autonomous operating unit within Springer Science+Business Media.

3. Will the acquisition affect consortium negotiations?

Since BioMed Central is operating as an autonomous unit, consortium negotiations with BioMed Central are separate from those with Springer, and such negotiations should be conducted via your existing BioMed Central contact.

4. Will BioMed Central online platform remain separate from SpringerLink?

There are no immediate plans to combine BioMed Central’s systems with SpringerLink. It is envisioned that BioMed Central will continue to operate its open access journals using its own systems.

5. Will BioMed Central journal content be mirrored on SpringerLink?

This possibility is being investigated, but there are no firm plans.

6. Will Springer retain the Open Choice option on its traditional titles?

Yes, this publishing option gives authors the choice of publishing in Springer journals after the article has been through the peer review process. The author or his/her institution has the choice of paying a publishing fee to cover the added value that Springer provides and then making the article freely available, or using the traditional subscription model.

7. Will BioMed Central’s article processing charges be raised to match those of the Springer Open Choice option?

No, BioMed Central will continue to set its own article processing charges, and no increases are planned as a results of the acquisition. As ever, BioMed Central reserves the right to adjust article processing charges from time to time in the light of economic factors.

8. How will the sale affect invoices and payments?

These will continue to be issued from/to BioMed Central Limited.

9. Will BioMed Central’s research content remain 100% open access?

Yes.