What is Open Access?
Open access (OA) scholarship is available online and can be read for free. It is often available for use and sharing without copyright and licensing restrictions commonly placed on published works. By making their work available in this manner, authors ensure that the broadest possible audience can read and use it, without limiting it to only those who are affiliated with research libraries or who can afford costly journal subscriptions.
Open access is not defined by a particular business model or type of content. Rather, open access is an approach to sharing one's work with the wider world. To learn more about open access, consult the resources below.
A free e-book (available in a variety of formats) covering the basics of open access, including definitions, history, business models, funding, and much more.
A comprehensive overview of what open access is, how it is implemented, and suggestions for further reading.
Why should you care about Open Access?
If you received funding to support your research, it is very likely you will be subject to an open access or public access requirement. Many funding agencies have policies that require recipients publicly share the results of their research (the resulting publications and/or the underlying data). Unsure if you’re required to share your publications ? For a complete list of public access policies by federal agency, consult this spreadsheet maintained by academic librarians or browse this list of data sharing requirements by federal agency. In addition to government agencies, many private funders also have open access or public access policies, including the Gates Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the American Heart Association.