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Elsevier LeapSpace Personal Digital Subscription Terms and Conditions

Elsevier terms and conditions of sale for LeapSpace - academic researchers*

These Elsevier Terms and Conditions of Sale (“T&C”) apply to your subscription to LeapSpace (“Subscription”) concluded via the website https://researcher.elsevier.com/ (“Website”) between an individual academic researcher (“you” or “your”) and Elsevier B.V. (“we” or “us”) on the date that you submit your order on the Website check-out page (“Check-Out page”) by selecting the “I Agree” button and receive an email confirmation (“Email Confirmation”) if accepted by Elsevier. These T&C expressly incorporate the Privacy Policy, and any guidelines, rules or disclaimers that may be posted and updated on the Website or any notices that are sent to you.

1 Contact Information and Customer Support

If you wish to subscribe to LeapSpace on the Website, you are required to select an initial term (free trial, month or year) (“Initial Term” and upon renewal “Term”) for your Subscription and complete your delivery and payment details. Once these details have been completed, you will be able to check and further edit these details prior to submission of your order on the Check-Out page. You can correct the delivery and payment details after you check out via your user account (“Account”).

If you have any questions, comments or complaints regarding these T&C or your Subscription, please contact customer support service (“Customer Support”) via Managing your individual LeapSpace subscription: FAQs - ScienceDirect Support Center.

2 Subscription

2.1 LeapSpace

We hereby grant to you the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and use LeapSpace as identified in your Email Confirmation, including any changes made thereto by us and provide LeapSpace to you subject to these T&C.

2.2 Free Trial Subscription

A free trial Subscription will automatically roll over into a paid Subscription for the Initial Term selected by you and you will be charged the amount indicated in the Email Confirmation.

To unsubscribe before the end of the free trial please visit your Account (https://researcher.elsevier.com/customer/account) or contact Customer Support via Managing your individual LeapSpace subscription: FAQs - ScienceDirect Support Center. For EU academic researchers, your right of withdrawal starts from the first day of your paid Subscription.

Elsevier has the right to limit or restrict the number of free trials available per individual academic researcher.

2.3 Rights and Permitted uses

You may use LeapSpace for your personal scholarly or academic research use, as follows:

access, search, browse, view and generate responses;

  • use LeapSpace in combination with an artificial intelligence tool, under the following conditions: such artificial intelligence tool (a) is used in a closed hosted (enterprise-grade) environment solely for your individual use, (b) does not train the algorithm of a third party artificial intelligence tool and (c) does not share LeapSpace or any part thereof with a third party;

  • print, download and store a reasonable number of generated responses;

  • provide print or electronic copies of generated responses to other academic researchers inclusive of colleagues who are part of an invitation only working group on non-commercial platforms or tools.

2.4 Safeguards

We will: (a) not use prompts, queries or other information submitted by Authorized Users into LeapSpace and the generated responses to train any large language models; (b) treat such prompts, queries, other information and generated responses with at least the same standard of care as set out in the confidentiality obligations included in this Agreement; and (c) comply with our data privacy and security obligations under this Agreement.

2.5 Restrictions on Use of LeapSpace

Except as expressly stated in these T&C or otherwise permitted in writing by us, you may not:

  • remove, obscure or modify in any way any copyright notices, other notices or disclaimers as they appear in LeapSpace;

  • use any robots, spiders, crawlers or other automated downloading programs, tools, or devices to search, scrape, extract, deep link, index and/or disrupt the working of LeapSpace;

  • post journal article abstracts from LeapSpace on social networking sites; or

  • substantially or systematically reproduce, retain, store locally, redistribute or disseminate LeapSpace (including generated responses) or any part thereof, any derivative work and/or service (including resulting from the use of artificial intelligence tools).

2.6 Intellectual Property Ownership

You acknowledge that all right, title and interest in and to LeapSpace remains with us and our suppliers, except as expressly set forth in these T&C, and that the unauthorized redistribution or dissemination online of LeapSpace (including generated responses) or any part thereof, could materially and irreparably harm us and our suppliers.

You will retain all rights in any prompts, request and other information you submit into LeapSpace.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in these T&C, more extensive usage terms might be permitted for open access content in LeapSpace as identified in the individual journal article as stated in the applicable user (e.g. CC) license.

3 Our performance obligations

3.1 Access to Subscribed Products

We will make LeapSpace accessible to you as set out in your Email Confirmation.

3.2 Quality of Service

We will use reasonable efforts to provide LeapSpace with a quality of service consistent with industry standards, specifically, to provide continuous service with an average of 98% up-time per year, with the 2% down-time including scheduled maintenance and repairs performed at a time to minimize inconvenience to you, and to restore service as soon as possible in the event of an interruption or suspension of service.

3.3 Withdrawal of Content

We reserve the right to withdraw from LeapSpace content that we no longer retain the right to provide or that we have reasonable grounds to believe is unlawful, harmful, false or infringing.

4 Your performance obligations

4.1 Authentication

Access to LeapSpace will be authenticated by username and password.

4.2 Protection from unauthorized access and use

You will:

  • take appropriate measures to protect against misuse or unauthorized access, whether by yourself or any third party, through or to your credentials used to access LeapSpace and/or information derived therefrom;

  • manage identification, use, access and control of all credentials used to access LeapSpace in an appropriately secure manner, including, but not limited to, not divulging any passwords to any third party;

  • immediately deactivate any credentials when no longer needed or where access presents a security risk;

  • implement and maintain your own appropriate program for credentials management and ensure access to LeapSpace via such credentials is reviewed on an appropriate basis; and

  • promptly upon your discovery, or being notified by us or a third party, that there has been unauthorized use of LeapSpace or a security issue permitting unauthorized use, you will take appropriate steps to end such activity and to prevent any recurrence, including, but not limited to, implementing required updates and configuration where needed to rectify the issue. When notified by a third party or upon discovering the unauthorized use directly, you must promptly notify us of the unauthorized use. You will cooperate with us and share information, subject to any applicable confidentiality or nondisclosure obligations, concerning the unauthorized use or security issue.

In the event of any unauthorized use of LeapSpace, we may suspend access and/or require that you suspend access from where the unauthorized use occurred upon notice to you. You will be responsible for the adherence to these T&C by a third-party provider you engage.

4.3 Security Requirements

You agree that you will have in place documented policies and procedures, which will be reviewed by you periodically, and if appropriate, tested and updated, covering the administrative, physical and technical safeguards in place and relevant to the access, use, loss, alteration, disclosure, storage, destruction and control of information. You will promptly notify us if we determine that there has been a failure of such safeguards if such failure results in a compromise of the confidentiality or security of any of Elsevier Content provided hereunder and you will cooperate with our reasonable requests surrounding such failure, including taking appropriate steps to end such activity and to prevent any recurrence. For the purpose of this Section 4.3, “Elsevier Content” including generated responses means any material or information which we provide or make available to you in connection with the Subscription and these T&C.

5 Term, Renewal and Termination

5.1 Term and Auto-renewal

The Initial Term of the Subscription will commence upon receipt by you of our Email Confirmation and will be automatically renewed for successive Terms equivalent to the duration of the Initial Term (one month or a year), unless either party gives notice to the other no later than the last day of the end of the then current Term that it does not intend to renew.

Your Email Confirmation specifies when the next Term will commence and you will receive an e-mail prior to the start of the next Term, which also includes instructions on how to terminate.

5.2 Termination

You may terminate your Subscription at any time by logging into your Account and following the process for termination, but please note that you will not be issued with a refund for the current Term of a paid Subscription except (i) as set out in Section 5.3 below or (ii) in the event you are a resident of the Netherlands, Germany or France, in which case you will receive a pro rate refund of the Fees you paid.

5.3 Right of Withdrawal – cooling-off period

For all EU countries, as well as Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, you will have the right to withdraw from the Subscription for a period of 14-days (cooling-off period) from the date you received the Email Confirmation, in which case Elsevier will refund the Fees in full, except if you accessed and used LeapSpace during the 14-days cooling-off period. If you want to use your right to withdraw from your Subscription during the 14-days cooling-off period, please contact Customer Support.

6 Fees and payment

6.1 Fees

Subscription fees (“Fees”) will be quoted on the Check-Out page and confirmed in your Email Confirmation.

The Check-Out page will state explicitly whether the Fees are inclusive or exclusive of any applicable Value Added Tax or other sales tax.

6.2 Changes to Fees

Subject to applicable law, Elsevier may change the Fees for LeapSpace for future Terms not already paid for, and Elsevier will communicate such changes to its Fees to you in advance. Changes to Fees will take effect at the start of the next Term following the date of the change of Fees. If you continue to use LeapSpace during the next Term, you automatically accept the new Fees. If you do not agree with the change of Fees, you have the right to reject the change by terminating your Subscription prior to the change of Fees taking effect.

6.3 Payment

Payments (including any recurring payments) shall be made in accordance with the methods of payment and currency displayed on the Check-Out page and confirmed in your Email Confirmation.

7 Our warranties and indemnities

7.1 Warranties

We warrant that use of LeapSpace in accordance with these T&C herein will not infringe the intellectual property rights of any third party.

7.2 Indemnities

We will indemnify, defend and hold you harmless from and against any loss, damage, costs, liability and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from or out of any third-party action or claim that use of LeapSpace in accordance with these T&C infringes the intellectual property rights of such third party. If any such action or claim is made, you will promptly notify and reasonably cooperate with us. This indemnity obligation will survive the termination of your Subscription.

7.3 Disclaimer

EXCEPT FOR THE EXPRESS WARRANTIES AND INDEMNITIES STATED HEREIN, AND TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, LEAPSPACE IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND WE AND OUR SUPPLIERS EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH REGARD TO LEAPSPACE, THE USE OF ANY FORM OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND ANY OTHER DATA, DOCUMENTATION, TECHNOLOGY OR MATERIALS PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THESE T&C, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY ERRORS, INACCURACIES, OMISSIONS, OR DEFECTS CONTAINED THEREIN, AND ANY WARRANTY AS TO MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

LEAPSPACE DOES NOT PROVIDE (MEDICAL OR REGULATORY) ADVICE IN CONNECTION WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE GENERATED RESPONSES, WHICH RESPONSES ARE DELIVERED WITHOUT HUMAN REVIEW AND FOR INFORMATION DISCOVERY PURPOSES ONLY. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE GENERATED RESPONSES MAY BE INACCURATE AND SUBJECT TO BIAS. YOU MUST EXERCISE YOUR OWN JUDGMENT BEFORE ACTING ON OR APPLYING ANY SUCH RESPONSES. CONTENT IS IN ENGLISH AND WHILE INPUTS AND RESPONSES MAY BE SUPPORTED, TRANSLATIONS ARE NOT VALIDATED.

7.4 Limitation of liability

Except for the express warranties and indemnities stated herein and to the extent permitted by applicable law, in no event will we or our suppliers be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages including, but not limited to, loss of data, business interruption or loss of profits, arising out of or in connection with the use of LeapSpace or these T&C, nor will our liability and our suppliers’ liability to you exceed a sum equal to the Fees paid by you hereunder during the 12 month period immediately preceding the date on which the claim arose, even if we or any supplier have been advised of the possibility of such liability or damages.

8 General

8.1 Force Majeure

Neither party’s delay or failure to perform any provision of these T&C (other than payment obligations) as a result of circumstances beyond its control (including, but not limited to, war, strikes, fires, floods, power failures, telecommunications or internet failures or damage to or destruction of any network facilities or servers) that prevents it from fulfilling its obligations under these T&C (any such circumstances being “Force Majeure”) will be deemed a breach of these T&C. If you reside in the EU, you agree that the departure of one or more members of the Euro zone will not, in and of itself, be a “circumstance beyond its control” and will not have the effect of discharging or excusing performance of (any obligation under) these T&C. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a party’s financial inability to fulfil its obligations will in no event constitute a Force Majeure.

8.2 Severability

The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these T&C will not affect any other provisions of these T&C.

8.3 Modification

No modification, amendment or waiver of any provision of these T&C will be valid unless in writing and signed by the parties, except for changes reflecting substituted authentication mechanisms, invoicing and contact address details which may be confirmed by us in an email notice sent to you.

8.4 Assignment

You will not assign, transfer or license any of your rights or obligations under these T&C unless you obtain our prior written consent, which consent will not unreasonably be withheld.

8.5 Privacy

To the extent that you provide any personal data to us during Account registration or otherwise, the parties acknowledge and agree that such information will be processed by us in accordance with our privacy policy at https://www.elsevier.com/legal/privacy-policy and our Data Processing Addendum at https://www.elsevier.com/legal/data-processing-terms (“DPA”). The parties acknowledge and agree that each party acts as an independent controller of any personal data shared or otherwise processed under these T&C and has complied and you will comply with your obligations under the Data Protection Laws in providing any personal data to us. Terms used but not defined in this section shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the DPA.

8.6 Confidentiality

You and your employees, officers, directors and agents will maintain as confidential and not disclose to any non-affiliated third party without our prior written consent the financial terms and commercial conditions of these T&C and other confidential information including but not limited to LeapSpace prompts, queries, other information and generated responses. We may only disclose such information (i) to applicable service providers to the extent necessary to perform their functions in support of this Agreement and (ii) where reasonably necessary to address security, safety, fraud or other legal issues.

8.7 Compliance with laws

Each party will comply with all applicable laws and regulations relating to its duties and obligations under these T&C. We reserve the right to deny access to LeapSpace to any person who is prohibited from receiving such access based on any applicable export control and trade sanctions laws or embargo programs.

8.8 Governing law and venue

Your Subscription and these T&C will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of The Netherlands, without regard to conflict of law principles, and the parties irrevocably consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of The Netherlands with respect to any action or suit arising out of or pertaining to your Subscription and these T&C.

For any Australian customers:

8.9 Reformation and severability

In the event you are considered a “consumer” for the purposes of the Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)), in case any provision of your Subscription and these T&C shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable pursuant to such regulation, it shall, to the extent possible, be modified in such manner as to be valid, legal and enforceable but so as to most nearly retain the intent of the parties, and if such modification is not possible, such provision shall be severed from your Subscription and these T&C, and in either case the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of your Subscription and these T&C shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

8.10 Duty to provide information under the consumer dispute resolution act (only applicable to consumer in the European Union)

In accordance with Regulation (EU) No 524/2013, please note that platforms (“ODR platforms”) exist for out-of-court online dispute resolution (http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr). As a matter of principle, Elsevier GmbH, ELSEVIER ESPAÑA, S.L.U and Elsevier B.V. do not consent nor are obliged to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer mediation or arbitration board.

* For US federal government employee researchers, please contact us at https://www.elsevier.com/products/sciencedirect/sciencedirect-ai/contact-us to explore other contracting options.

Last revised: 16 January 2026