A Conversation with the Authors of Open Access Literature in Libraries: Principles and Practices

Abstract

In lieu of a traditional editorial or book review, in this issue I offer a conversation with Karen Brunsting and Caitlin Harrington, my co-authors for the recently published monograph Open Access Literature in Libraries: Principles and Practices (ALA Editions Core, 2022; 978-0-8389-3954-3). Over the past year, Michael Fernandez and I have documented some of the work we have undertaken to make Library Resources & Technical Services open access. These efforts have, of course, been informed by our grappling with the complex topic over a much longer period of time. For several years, I have been pondering what librarians, and especially those of us at smaller or less robustly funded institutions, can reasonably do to assist in making scholarly literature freely available to all to read. Like many of you, I share my questions, concerns, and ideas with professional colleagues and friends. Sometimes these discussions lead to research projects. What follows is an example of an ongoing conversation among technical services colleagues leading to research projects, changes in our practices, and, finally, a practical guide to getting started with open access in your library.