For some journals and other publications, the library may not have access to the most recent publication. This is typically due to publisher restrictions; a journal may do this to encourage readers to subscribe directly to the publication, or to try to increase print sales. If a patron is looking for an article in a journal and we do not have access to the most recent issue online, it may be worth checking if the library subscribes to a print version of the journal which may contain the article.

Embargoes may also apply when a researcher wishes to deposit in an institutional repository, like IDEALS. In this case, publishers may stipulate that a work should not be available for public download for a period of time. Restrictions on depositing a work and download options may vary depending on the version of the article – i.e., whether it is a preprint, an accepted manuscript, a Version of Record, etc. The University of West London’s page Copyright and Publisher Embargoes has more information about different item types and copyright FAQs, which links to SHERPA/RoMEO, a database that lets you search for journals to briefly see what their open access related policies are, including information on publication embargoes. Patrons interested in publishing and depositing their own work should contact Scholarly Communication and Publishing.