Open Access (OA) makes research accessible immediately upon publication with no restrictions. Anyone with internet access can find, read, mine, cite and share OA articles at no cost to them. OA scholarly literature is free of charge and often carries less restrictive copyright and licensing barriers than traditionally published works, for both the users and the authors.
While OA is a newer form of scholarly publishing, many OA journals comply with well-established peer-review processes and maintain high publishing standards.
Traditional vs OA Journals
The traditional way to access scholarly research is by purchasing a copy of an individual article, which can be quite expensive. Academic libraries purchase institutional subscriptions to many journals and provide access to their students and staff through online library databases and/or print copies. This restricts access to those who can afford to purchase articles and to those who have access to an academic library.
In contrast, journals and/or articles published via Open Access, allow anyone, anywhere to access the information without having to pay or be affiliated with an academic library.
Search for OA Resources:
- DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals) - extensive index of diverse Open Access journals from around the world
- DOAB (Directory of Open Access Books) - indexes and provides access to scholarly, peer-reviewed Open Access books
- PLOS (Public Library of Science) Journals - suite of influential Open Access journals across all areas of science and medicine
OA in Summon
PCC Library's Summon Search includes Open Access materials. When you search Summon, there will be an indication of peer-review, open access, etc. for each item in the results list. You can choose to view only Open Access resources by checking beside Open Access under Refine Your Search.
Learn more:
Have more questions about Open Access? Ask a librarian!
What Is Open Education Week?
Open Education Week is a celebration of the global Open Education Movement. Its purpose is to raise awareness about the movement and its impact on teaching and learning worldwide.
How can we celebrate? Learn & Share!
Attend one of the many free online OE Week events that are taking place all over the globe, of which quite a few are being presented by or for community and technical colleges, or attend a session right here at PCC. You could also try searching for openly licensed materials that are available in your subject area.
Find something neat? Tell us!
List any interesting articles, infographics, textbooks, videos, courses, etc. that you come across. Simply add it to the PCC OE Week Padlet. Click the + [plus] icon to add your post (see the preview below). Feel free to comment on the posts that are already there and start a conversation!. I've found a lot of new things in the past few days and I'm eager to see what you guys will add.
Other ways to celebrate can include reading the latest issue of the OER Digest or go over to the CCCOER website for news and webinars, or visit SPARC and take a deep dive into Open Access, Open Education, and Open Data.
Happy searching...and learning!
Sincerely,
Angela Davis
PCC Instruction & Web Services Librarian and NCCCLA OER Task Force Chairperson
asdavis688@my.pittcc.edu | (252) 493-7366