This is the tenth year Open Access Week has been celebrated. Each year, we celebrate a different piece of Open Access and its importance. For 2017, the emphasis was on “Open in Order to…” and the tangible benefits that scholars and institutions reap when research is openly available. The Open Access Week site lists several responses for the “Open in Order to…” prompt including “increase access to knowledge,” “facilitate collaboration,” and “raise your research visibility.”
At IU Libraries, we facilitated and promoted several programs that aligned with this year’s emphasis on the tangible results of OA. Staff from the Scholarly Communication Department, Teaching and Learning, Indiana University Press, the Institute for Digital Arts and Humanities (IDAH), and the Mathers Museum of World Cultures created and led these programs.
The “What Does Google Tell the World About You?” session focused on how openness can impact online presence and increase discoverability. Our workshop entitled “Predatory Publishers, Open Scholarship, and Your Research” provided an overview of predatory publishing practices and strategies for finding a reputable publisher. “How Does Scholarly Peer-Review for Publication Work? An Introduction for Journals and Books” gave participants a practical, behind-the-scenes look at scholarly peer-review for journals as well as books. Additionally, as an extension of OA week, an info-share and group consultation on the new Open Access Digital Monograph Publishing Program will happen this Tuesday, 10/31. The program supports the publication of open-access monographs in the humanities and humanistic social sciences with a $15,000 subvention.
Finally, Indiana University Press made five IU faculty-authored books published freely available on the IUScholarworks platform from October 20 through October 27. The titles included Dealing with Dictators by Lazlo Borhi, Folk Art and Aging by Jon Kay, Abidjan USA by Daniel Reed, The Accompaniment in “Unaccompanied” Bach by Stanley Ritchie, and Guide to the Solo Horn Repertoire by Richard Seraphinoff.
The “opening up” of these titles coincided with the annual IU Press Authors Event, which celebrates IUB faculty that have published a monograph in the last year. Authors were congratulated by Dean Walters, Provost Robel, and Vice Provost Van Kooten.
Our focus for Open Access Week 2017 was to highlight the tangible, practical side of Open Access. Open Access increases impact, provides content to all, and is compatible with reputable and rigorous publishing. Our events this year dispelled common OA myths while highlighting these truths and emphasizing OA’s impact on the IU community specifically.
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