Open Access

Two hands reaching through the open access icon.

The University Libraries would like to hear about your experience and concerns with open access publishing. Please complete our short survey by December 14. Your input will help us develop educational programming and prioritize research services around open access publishing for Western faculty, staff and students.
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What is open access?

Why choose open access?

Open access icon.

Publishing open access (OA) gives your research more exposure, wider reach, higher citations and more downloads. It provides immediate access to your research and extends the reach so anyone in the world can access, use and cite your research.

Paywalls limit access to institutions and researchers that can afford it, making it more difficult for researchers in developing countries to access vital research. Open access publishing enhances your academic profile and visibility and helps our university remain competitive as a research institution.