By Raym Crow
Knowledge Exchange* has released “The Collective Provision of Open Access Resources,” the third report in its multiphase “Sustainability of Open Access Resources” initiative. The report, which was funded by SPARC, examines the practical planning issues relevant to the economic sustainability of infrastructure services that support the growth of the open-access dissemination of scholarly and scientific research.
By Greg Tananbaum
Today, SPARC released a new community resource for research funders entitled, “Implementing an Open Data Policy”. This primer addresses key issues that these organizations encounter when considering the adoption and implementation of an open data policy. The guide covers big-picture topics such as how to decide on the range of activities an open data policy should cover.
By Heather Joseph
The Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act (FASTR),[stacie: link yellow to PDF of bill] introduced today in both the House and the Senate, represents an important step forward in the legislative progression toward the goal of Open Access to publicly funded research. Based on the framework laid out by the highly successful NIH Public Access Policy, (as well as the previously-proposed Federal Research Public Access Act) the bill proposes terms and conditions that fully enable digital reuse of publicly funded research articles – as well as calling for their timely, barrier-free availability.
By Heather Joseph
As we struggle to digest the news of the loss of Aaron Swartz, a brilliant intellect, a passionate activist, and a very human 26-year-old, I am, as I suspect we all are, wrestling with conflicting emotions. Heartsickness over a promising life ended too soon; anger over the circumstances that drove his actions, and frustration that we’re still faced with a world where we are fighting for something as basic as open, equitable access to scholarly and scientific research.