Open access refers to posting or publishing research so that it is publicly accessible at no cost to the reader. Open access publications give scholars worldwide an opportunity to access cutting-edge research, while also benefiting the authors by making their work read more widely and cited more often. Research funders, including federal agencies, require that research they have funded be made freely accessible to the general public.
Investigate options for making your research publicly accessible by working with a discipline-specific subject librarian, attending workshops in the Support for Publishing workshop series, or reading online materials created by the Libraries.
Read online guide Contact your subject librarian Attend a workshop
The Penn Libraries provides multiple ways to increase your understanding of open access so that you can make the best decisions to support your needs.
Learn more about these topics through our online guide or a consultation with a librarian:
The Penn Libraries has entered into open access agreements with a number of major publishers, including SAGE, Springer, and Wiley. These agreements support Penn researchers who want to publish open access, generally by covering Article Processing Charges. Find out how to publish your work through these agreements.
Learn the ins and outs of the publishing process, including open access considerations, through a series of workshops hosted by the Penn Libraries in collaboration with the Grad Center at Penn.
Editors of scholarly journals will discuss how their journals made the decision to move from a subscription model to Open Access, what the financial implications were, and what the impact has been on their readership.
This online session will provide an overview of some of the most common open access publishing models and the Penn Libraries' current agreements with publishers.
Learn how to identify suitable publication venues, comply with submission guidelines, navigate the review process, and get published.