If your article is published in a journal that submits articles to PubMed Central, no further action is needed to comply.

Some publishers, such as Elsevier, will submit your manuscript to PubMed Central.  However, the PI must still approve the submission and the final web version of the manuscript.

NIH has very good web tutorials for principal investigators and non-PI submitters.

Both PIs and non-PIs can submit manuscripts. If a non-PI submits the manuscript, the PI must approve the submission. In all cases, the PI must review the web version of the manuscript.

Use the NIH Manuscript Submission (NIHMS) system to look up grant numbers and submit manuscripts.

The Biological Sciences Library will submit your manuscript to NIHMS in compliance with the NIH Public Access Policy on your behalf as a third-party submitter. For us to submit your manuscript we will need the following information and materials to lib-biology@uiowa.edu:

• PI Author name and email
• Title of the journal
• Title of the manuscript
• Grant number (full alpha numeric number)
• Manuscript files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, TIFF, JPEG, PDF, etc)
• Supplemental data or images associated with the manuscript
• Embargo period as specified by publisher and any other known publisher instructions

Once the manuscript has been submitted to NIHMS by the Biological Sciences Library, NIHMS will send an email to the PI confirming the receipt of the manuscript and include a link to the submission for final approval. Manuscripts will not be posted to PMC without final approval from the PI.