1. Open Access Publishing, Threat or
Opportunity
Louise Tripp
Subject Librarian: English, European
Languages, Linguistics, Open Access
A21/51, The Library
l.tripp@lancaster.ac.uk
Tel. (01524) 592546
Phil Cheeseman
Head of Academic Services
A21/51, The Library
p.cheeseman@lancaster.ac.uk
Tel. (01524) 592766
openaccess@lancaster.ac.uk
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

2. General Aim of OA Policies
By "open access" to this literature, we mean its free
availability on the public internet, permitting any users
to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or
link to the full texts of these articles, crawl them for
indexing, pass them as data to software, or use them
for any other lawful purpose, without financial, legal,
or technical barriers other than those inseparable from
gaining access to the internet itself. The only constraint
on reproduction and distribution, and the only role for
copyright in this domain, should be to give authors
control over the integrity of their work and the right to
be properly acknowledged and cited.
(Budapest Open Access Initiative, 2002)
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3. Accessing Research Publications
Traditional
Access to publications determined
by subscription to print or
electronic journals.
Subscriptions form the largest
proportion of an academic library’s
budget.
Open Access
Green - deposit paper (Accepted
version) in institutional and/or subject
repository if desired, subject to
publisher’s permissions and funder’s
requirements.
Gold - pay-to-publish route: journal
publisher is paid a fee (commonly
known as an Article Processing Charge)
and then provides free immediate
online access to the article.
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4. A bit of history
BioMed Central launched (a for-profit open access publisher)
Open Access defined by the Budapest Open Access Initiative
Research Councils UK publishes its Open Access policy
Wellcome Trust introduces policy to apply to all research papers
arising from Trust funding
Working group on Expanding Access to Published Research Findings
(Finch Group) established
2000
2002
2005
2006
2011
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5. A UK Open Access Policy
Finch report
“the UK should embrace the transition to Open Access and accelerate this
process in a measured way which promotes innovation but also what is most
valuable in the research communications ecosystem.”
• clear support for the Gold route (publication in Open or Hybrid Journals,
funded by APCs
• also recommended changes to licensing arrangements, improvements to
repositories and increased public access to journals.
The Government accepts all recommendations of the Finch report and looks to
Funding Councils, Research Councils, universities and publishers to implement
them.
June 2012
July 2012
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6. RCUK and EU Policies
Research Councils UK announces a new open access policy to come into effect
for all articles submitted after 1st April 2013 that arise from RCUK funding.
• Favours the Gold route (subsequently funding announced to support this)
• Allowed for different embargo periods where the Green route is applied.
EU Commission announces new Open Access policies in relation to ‘Horizon
2020’ , the EU’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-
2020).
• Supports both Green and Gold models
July 2012
July 2012
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7. Recent developments
HEFCE launches consultation on its approach to open access for post-2014 REF
• Journal articles and conference proceedings to be deposited in the author’s
own institutional repository, immediately upon publication (subject to
embargoes)
• Outputs in a form allowing reader to search for and re-use content
(manually and using automated tools) subject to proper attribution
BIS Select Committee open access report published
• It strongly criticises Government and RCUK policy
• It argues for Green open access and development of institutional and
subject repositories
July 2013
Sept 2013
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8. OA Responses - RCUK
• Policies largely targeted at journal articles and conference proceedings
(for now)
• RCUK have given Lancaster University £300k over 2 years
• RCUK pushing for Gold OA or access within 6-12 months
• RCUK also have licensing requirements relating to use by 3rd parties
(CC-BY licence)
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9. OA Responses – Publishers
• Most large publishers are responding by developing OA policies
and different payment models (Gold)
• After an embargo period (varies between 6-12 months) a pdf of
the published version can be deposited in a repository (Green)
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10. OA Responses – HE Institutions
Institutions have:
• responded rapidly to administer RCUK funding in support of OA
requirements
• provided a sector response to policy creation
• been reviewing policies and practices to support OA
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11. What the University Statement on
OA aims to do
• States a commitment to transparency and dissemination of research
outputs
• States that we should aim to make Green our norm, using Gold when
resources allow (RCUK and LU Funding)
• Provide an approach that satisfies funders while allowing flexibility for
researchers
• Recognises that the landscape is likely to keep changing
• Provide background and support information
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12. How can I make my research OA?
Online guidance at
http://lancaster.libguides.com/openaccess
Open Access Publishing Flowchart:
step-by-step guidance through Green and Gold
routes
Flowchart ‘You’ve decided on Gold Access – what
next?’:
how to obtain funding
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13. Future of OA
• A constantly changing landscape – with a swing towards the Green
route
• Global Open Access movement
• Open Access to extend to monographs and book chapters?
- Wellcome Trust requirement from Oct 2014
- National Monograph Strategy project
• Open Data / Research Data Management
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14. Questions - Discussion
• Open Access, threat or opportunity?
• How does OA currently impact on your research practice? How might it
in the future?
• How should we respond to these challenges and opportunities?
• How can we help? What information, support and services could the
library provide to support you in relation to Open Access?
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15. Sources and Useful Links
Pure
https://pure.lancs.ac.uk/workspace.xhtml
Budapest OA Initiative
http://www.budapestopenaccessinitiative.org/
Finch Report
http://www.researchinfonet.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/06/Finch-Group-report-FINAL-
VERSION.pdf
Wellcome Trust OA policy
http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/About-us/Policy/Policy-and-position-statements/WTD002766.htm
RCUK Policy on OA
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/research/Pages/outputs.aspx
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16. Sources and Useful Links
Horizon 2020
http://ec.europa.eu/research/horizon2020/index_en.cfm
National Monographs Strategy
http://monographs.jiscinvolve.org/wp/
HEFCE consultation
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/hefce/content/pubs/2013/201316/Consultation on open access in
the post-2014 Research Excellence Framework.pdf
Business, Innovation and Skills Committee’s Report on OA
http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/business-
innovation-and-skills/news/on-publ-open-access/
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