Springer Nature Read and Publish
Framework Description
Springer Nature Read and Publish is an agreement let by Jisc and listed in APUC's catalogue for Scottish universities and colleges. It combines reading access to Springer Nature content with open access publishing for authors at participating institutions, in a single deal with one publisher. Applications for this agreement are closed (it is not a DPS), and it runs from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028 with no extension option.
Context & Use Case
University libraries and research offices use it to pay for journal access and open access publishing together, which helps researchers meet funder open access requirements without paying separate charges for each article. Jisc negotiates on behalf of UK institutions, and APUC members in Scotland take part through this listing. It follows the earlier Springer Nature Read and Publish 2023-2025 agreement.
Scope of Services
Reading access to Springer Nature content Open access publishing for authors at participating institutions Associated services as defined in the agreement
Lots
See framework link
Who Can Apply
This is a negotiated agreement with Springer Nature, so other suppliers cannot join it. Other scholarly publishers interested in open access deals with UK institutions should follow Jisc's wider licensing work and note the renewal point of 31 December 2028.
Buyer Benefits
A read and publish deal lets libraries manage two budgets in one: subscription spend and open access charges. Institutions get predictable costs over three years, a simpler way to meet funder open access mandates, and a national negotiating position that no single university could match.
Next Steps
For publishers, the date to plan around is 31 December 2028, when this three-year agreement ends with no extension. Review it through APUC's framework catalogue (LIB1044 AP) and Jisc's licensing pages, and prepare the evidence a negotiating body would expect: open access output, transparent pricing and usage data.
How Athena Can Help
For a publisher or content supplier, the value is in being ready for the next round of sector library agreements. Athena's framework opportunity mapping identifies which Jisc and APUC library agreements are open now or due to open, and our public sector bid/no-bid tools help you decide where to compete.
When you do, Athena's bid writing service prepares responses written to the evaluation criteria, with pricing models and a compliance check before submission.
