November 5, 2020

Open Access Week, the annual, international event promoting the free, immediate and online availability of research and scholarship, returned for its 13th year this October. The Drexel Libraries celebrated with virtual events, social media activities, and personal stories and testimonials from Drexel professors involved in the Open Access (OA) movement.

All activities and events were focused around this year’s OA Week theme, “Open with Purpose: Taking Action to Build Structural Equity and Inclusion.” The Libraries used its OA Week activities to put the spotlight on OA at Drexel and beyond, showcasing the benefits of free and equitable access to research and the impact that has on the global community. From sessions on the pros and cons of open access publishing to a look at the economic implications of Open Access versus traditional journal publishing, there was something for everyone.

Webinars Focus on the Importance of Free & Equal Access to Information

This year, the Libraries hosted three webinars covering different aspects of Open Access to help educate the Drexel community – and others – about this important movement. Held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sessions were made available to all members of the Drexel community, as well as the general public.

Emily Chenette, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of PLOS ONE, kicked off the week’s festivities with a session called How Open Access Supports Good Science. During the session, Chenette defined ‘good science’ (research that is open and accessible, reproducible, conducted ethically and contributes to academic knowledge) and discussed how Open Access supports the practice of it. She also shared tips for publishing in Open Access journals and shared the PLOS Editorial Team’s strategies for ensuring that they only publish ‘good science.’

Later in the week, Drexel’s own Deborah Clegg, PhD, RD, Associate Dean for Research in the College of Nursing & Health Professions, spoke about her own experiences with OA. During the event, Open Access - Is it Opening Pandora’s Box?, Professor Clegg described the pros and cons of Open Access publishing and shared her personal story of becoming an “OA convert.”

Finally, during his session To Read and Be Read: When Monopolists Control Access to Academic Prestige, guest speaker Ted Bergstrom, Aaron and Cherie Raznick Chair of Economics, Distinguished Professor of Economics from UC Santa Barbara, held a rousing discussion on how the Open Access model of publishing can increase competition within the publishing industry and, more importantly, help universities and their students save money—one of the Libraries’ own strategic initiatives. Missed the live webinars? Watch the event recordings on the Libraries’ YouTube channel.

Drexel’s OA Advocates Share their Stories

The Drexel Libraries also called on Drexel faculty and staff to share their view of Open Access and how they use open resources in their research and curricula. Several members of the Drexel community shared their thoughts on Open Access, which the Libraries shared on social media to contribute to the conversation using the hashtag #OAWeek.

Read their complete stories on our news blog.