Open Access Initiative

In the past, most scholarly research articles were published in subscription-based journals which only relatively wealthy institutions could afford. But with the emergence of the web, this model of research publishing has become a barrier to research and access to knowledge. The Information Program's Open Access initiative aims to shift the publication of peer-reviewed research articles to an open-access basis.

OSI's work in the field of open access is based upon the principles outlined in the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI), which arose from a meeting organized by OSI in December 2001. The BOAI offered the first definition of open access as free online access to peer-reviewed research articles achieved through the development of open access journals and institutional or subject-based article repositories.

OSI has supported many of the projects which underpin the OA movement, such as the Directory of Open Access Journals, Directory of Open Access Repositories, OASIS and Open Access News. However, the bulk of OSI's work and funding is focused on advocacy. The Open Access movement advocates for public access to publicly funded research and has seen significant progress in recent years. More than one hundred open access publication mandates have been adopted by research funders, universities and departments worldwide for the research they support or produce, including the largest research funder in the world - the US National Institutes of Health.

In developing and transition countries, Open Access increases scientists' and academics' ability to both access and contribute to the global research community. The eIFL-Open Access Program, supported by OSI, works to raise awareness of open access, assist in the development of open repositories and advocate for open access mandates in over 45 developing and transition countries.

In 2010-2011, OSI will continue to support key open access advocates, and collaborate with other funders on projects which support the overall movement.  

If you are considering applying for funding under this initiative, please email the relevant program manager (see link, below) with a brief description of your project. They will be able to advise you if your proposal is suitable for funding from OSI, and guide you through the application process from there.

View contact information for this initiative.