Open Access: Research and Scholarship: What is Open Access?

• Free availability: Open access emphasizes that scholarly and creative works should be available online free of charge and barriers to access.
• Open licensing: Open access works are often released under licenses that permit certain uses while retaining important rights for the creators.
• Immediate access: Open access works are typically available immediately upon publication, rather than being subject to subscription based delays.
• Unrestricted use: Open access encourages the use of works for educational, research, and creative purposes without the traditional limitations.
• Visibility and impact: Open access can enhance the visibility and impact of works, as they are more easily discoverable.
• Inclusivity and equity: Open access seeks to break down barrier to information access, especially in regions or institutions with limited resources.

Open access seeks to advance knowledge, research, and education open access is a transformative force in these areas. Open access embodies the principle that scholarly and creative works should be freely accessible to anyone, anywhere, fostering a global exchange of ideas and removing barriers to information.