No-Deal Situation with Sage continues
The no-deal situation between the publisher Sage and the consortium of Swiss academic libraries has continued since the beginning of the year, and no agreement is yet in sight.
Following the expiration of the Read & Publish Agreement 2023–2025 with Sage Publications at the end of 2025 and unsuccessful renegotiations, the Consortium of Swiss Academic Libraries continues to be in a no-deal situation with the publisher.
Negotiations are ongoing, but so far, no agreement has been reached. It remains uncertain whether an agreement will be reached this year. Researchers and libraries are strongly advised not to enter into individual agreements with Sage in order not to weaken the consortium’s negotiating position.
Up-to-date information on the status of the negotiations, as well as answers and recommendations on how to proceed in the current situation, can be found on the consortium’s website: Sage Journals | Consortium of Swiss Academic Libraries
Consequences of the No-Contract Situation with Sage for UZH Members
Reading access
Access to new journal content from 2026 onwards is expected to be deactivated. Previously licensed volumes of Sage journals will remain accessible.
Publication of open access articles
Open access articles accpeted in Sage journals after the end of 2025 can no longer be funded by the university libraries without an R&P agreement.
Alternative Access and Delivery Options
There are alternative ways for university members to obtain the articles they need. You can find the relevant information on our website: No Access? Your Options.
During the period without a contract, researchers, students, teaching staff and employees of UZH and the university hospitals can use the request service for articles from Sage journals free of charge.
Alternative Open Access Publication
We encourage authors not to pay any publication fees. In hybrid Sage journals, you can publish in ‘closed access’ at no cost and make use of your right to publish accepted manuscripts in open access in ZORA.
The following links provide information on authors’ archiving rights via Sage and further assistance with publishing contracts.
Further details are available in the consortium’s overview and Frequently Asked Questions.
Contact
If you have any questions about reading access, please contact the E-Media team: emedia@ub.uzh.ch
If you have any questions about the publication of open access articles, please contact our Open Science Services team: oa@ub.uzh.ch