It’s Open Access Week!

Open Access Week is a global event now in its 10th year, promoting Open Access as the new default in scholarship and research. Open Access is a growing international movement that uses the Internet to throw open the locked doors that once hid knowledge. Encouraging the unrestricted sharing of research results with everyone, the Open Access movement is gaining ever more momentum around the world as research funders and policy makers put their weight behind it.

If you’re wondering why Open Access Matters, here are a few points to explain its importance:
  • Open Access helps scientists make the discoveries we need to improve health, and enables integration of research
    with other resources.
  • It provides the
    opportunity for researchers work to
    be more easily read and cited.
  • Allows Universities who support and produce research to provide information and knowledge  to students and academics, rather than being forced to cut subscriptions due to inflating journal prices. 
  • Allows clinicians and patient advocates to get easier, wider access to the
    research evidence that they need to
    do the best for their patients.
The critical aspect of Open
Access for most people, is that increased
discoverability and browse-ability
will lead to greater efficiency while conducting research. Any savings
in efficiency translate quite
directly into savings for the community at large, and time savings for researchers.
That ultimately means more
discoveries, sooner, for less!
If you’d like to get involved in, or learn more about Open Access Week, check out what events are happening near you. You can also check out these educational materials or read through our Open Access guide for more information.