In celebration of International Open Access Week, October 25-31, 2021, the University Libraries is offering a variety of drop-in informational sessions and workshops on the workings and benefits of Open Access and has created a new webpage, where users can explore resources that support Open Access for the UNL community.
“Open Access” refers to the free online availability of scholarly research, coupled with the rights to use it fully in the digital environment. Open Access Week is an annual event that promotes understanding of Open Access, with the aim of making it a new norm in scholarship and research. This year’s theme is It Matters How We Open Knowledge: Building Structural Equity.
Open Access Week has its roots in the National Day of Action for Open Access that took place in 2007 and was organized across the United States by Students for Free Culture and the Alliance for Taxpayer Access. In the past the UNL Libraries collaborated with graduate student groups to host Open Access Week events.
“Open Access is an important publishing option that can have many benefits to the Nebraska community including the provision of equal access to information, research data, and the inclusion of diverse voices,” says Charlene Maxey-Harris, Associate Dean of Libraries and Interim Chair of Discovery & Resource Management listing the benefits of Open Access.
The UNL Libraries is actively increasing Open Access options for UNL authors, by signing onto pilot agreements with publishers like Cambridge University Press and PLOS via the Big Ten Academic Alliance, which cover the costs associated with publishing Open Access articles.
“We support the common good, while paying the cost,” explains Maxey-Harris.
The goal of the website and the drop-in sessions is to gather, in one location, the Libraries’ Open Access resources to help inform, educate, and support efforts on campus. The Libraries are offering two workshops in which registration is required and four drop-in sessions.
Drop-In Sessions: OA Publishing Agreements with Cambridge University Press and PLoS
UNL authors can now publish their research articles Open Access in Cambridge University Press journals, PLoS Biology, and PLoS Medicine without worrying about the cost! Bring your questions to this drop-in session with UNL librarians Casey Hoeve, Sue Gardner, and David Macaulay.
Oct. 25, 12-1 pm
https://unl.zoom.us/j/92811117172?pwd=RVprdk9GdnZxUVRIYjdRMzdTM2Z5QT09
Oct. 28, 12-1 pm
https://unl.zoom.us/j/92490816494?pwd=VnA5a2NPTjVCUlNIc0xzZWl4aWFIdz09
Open Science Drop-In Sessions
Have questions about Open Access (OA) publishing, open data, or Open Education Resources (OER) in STEM? Drop in to discuss how OA can contribute to research impact, how OER are created and maintained, and more. Both drop-in sessions hosted by UNL Science Librarian Kiyomi Deards.
Oct. 26, 12:30-2 pm
https://unl.zoom.us/j/92494885812?pwd=azBHZkU4N3NIYmtFOTUzOHZQOCs4UT09&from=addon
Oct. 28, 5-6:30 pm
https://unl.zoom.us/j/95829416140?pwd=cEtPNVF2L2JXeWc1M3d1Z1hwdk5MUT09&from=addon
Preparing for Sharing Your Research: Publishing and Copyright
Join Scholarly Communications Librarian, Sue Gardner, and 40-year publishing veteran and Coordinator of Scholarly Communications, Paul Royster, to learn the ins and outs of publishing on Oct 27, 2021 from 12-1 p.m. Topics include where to publish or distribute your work, how to navigate publishing agreements, and how to maintain your authors’ rights. Please register to receive Zoom link at: https://unl.libcal.com/event/8209086
Introduction to Open Educational Resources (OER)
One of the benefits to using open educational resources (or OER) is to ensure that learning materials are available and accessible to all students from day one of your course. In this session, on Oct. 28, from 10-11 am, we’ll discuss the benefits of adapting or adopting OER in your courses, work through how to differentiate OER from other “free” or “affordable” resources and explore strategies for finding and evaluating OER relevant to your discipline. Please register to receive the Zoom link: https://unl.libcal.com/event/8405172
More details at: https://go.unl.edu/oaweek