Open Access Publishing

All Libraries, Scholarly Communications Posted: October 18th, 2019

In a world of where restrictions make information limited, one movement found a way to bring unrestricted access to research to anyone, anywhere around the world. This movement is aptly called Open Access (OA).

What is Open Access (OA)?

“Open Access” is a term used to describe a reform movement that aims to make scholarly literature freely available on the web and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions. It can also describe an item itself. For example, if a journal article is Open Access, then that means it is available for free access and, typically, unrestricted non-commercial use.

How is Open Access Different from Traditional Publishing?

To publish something “Open Access” is in contrast to traditional publishing. Where a traditional publisher of academic journals charges money to read those journal articles, an Open Access academic journal is free to read and access online.

However, those interested in publishing will want to consider a variety of factors before deciding if OA is right for them. For instance, there may be other costs associated with publishing, such as Article Processing Charges — a fee charged to authors to make their work accessible OA. In addition, researchers will want to explore strategies for discerning reliable publishers and considerations for grant funding requirements.

Is Open Access Only for Academic Journal Articles?

Open Access does not just apply to academic journal articles. Books, textbooks, data-sets, and other forms can also be Open Access. Many ordinary objects and tech we use in our daily life have been made accessible due to OA. What would the modern world be without the Internet? Or computers?

Want to learn more? Explore the UCF Libraries’ Office of Scholarly Communication website to find out ways to contribute to the Open Access movement.

Celebrating OA Publishing: Open Access Week

The Open Access movement is celebrated every October during Open Access Week. It aims to bring awareness to OA and explore the benefits. It also helps encourage Open Access advancements and innovations throughout the global scholarly community. OA Week has been a worldwide event for more than a decade, originally organized by SPARC and students.

Follow us all next week to learn about how Open Access and all the free tools that came from it helps you! Meanwhile, check out the official Open Access Week website and UCF Libraries’ Office of Scholarly Communication website for more information.

For additional information or to answer any questions please contact Sarah Norris, Scholarly Communication Librarian.

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