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Open Access Publications

A brief explanation of Open Access (OA) publishing and where to find OA content

About this Guide

When researching, students and faculty may see the Open Access (OA) icon appearing in their search results. 

This guide provides a brief explanation of the different types of open access publishing, what library resources include OA publications, and examples of OA journals.

What is Open Access?

Open Access icon

What is Open Access? 

  • Open Access (OA) publishing is a method of sharing scholarship that is digital, online, free of charge, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
  • Open Access (OA) literature can be free journal articles and e-books.
  • OA is entirely compatible with peer review, and all the major OA initiatives for scientific and scholarly literature insist on its importance. Just as authors of journal articles donate their labor, so do most journal editors and referees participating in peer review.
  • OA literature is not free to produce, even if it is less expensive to produce than conventionally published literature.

From A Very Brief Introduction to Open Access by Peter Suber.

Open Access in a Nutshell

Video tutorial from Pfau Library, California State University, San Bernadino (Length: 2:21)

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