Open Access Week

Open Access Week is an international annual celebration of open access. Events are held around the globe to:

  • highlight the potential benefits of open access
  • foster knowledge sharing among colleagues
  • help inspire wider participation in helping to make open access a new norm in scholarship and research.

Brock University Library has led campus celebrations of Open Access Week since 2010.

Open Access Week Events

The Library will join in the global celebrations of International Open Access Week, Oct. 23-29 with events including workshops, information sharing and a virtual book display.

Oct. 24, 12-1 pm. Community over commercialization: new frontiers in open access. Building Better Research series workshop. The theme for this year’s International Open Access Week, community over commercialization explores which approaches to open access are most beneficial to researchers and the public. Join Elizabeth Yates, Research and Scholarly Communication Librarian, and Laurie Morrison, Head of Liaison Services, for a discussion of the perils of prioritizing profit over the public good and the promise offered by community-controlled publishing platforms. Registration via ExperienceBU

Oct. 25, 12-2 pm. Graduate Student Writing Cafe. Denise Smith, Head of Research Lifecycle at the Library, will discuss myths and truths about open access publishing with Brock graduate students. Registration via ExperienceBU

Oct. 26, 12-1 pm. How to plan for open access without breaking the bank. Building Better Research series workshop. Open access is the best way to increase the impact of your research and brings many benefits to society. While article processing charges (APCs) are sometimes associated with open access publishing, there are many strategies which can help you achieve open access for little or no cost: the key is planning ahead. Join Elizabeth Yates, Research and Scholarly Communication Librarian to discuss options including no-fee publishing, publisher discounts and open dissemination via the Brock Digital Repository. Registration via ExperienceBU

Oct. 23-29:

  • a virtual collection of books and ebooks in the Library’s collection focused on themes of open access and scholarly communications.
  • Library news posts highlighting topics including community-controlled open access publishing, equity in scholarly publishing and Library supports for open access

The Brock University Library will join in the global celebrations of International Open Access Week with two workshops highlighting how researchers can maximize the impact of their scholarship.

  • Oct. 26, 12-1 p.m. – Opening up graduate scholarship via the Brock Digital Repository, with Tim Ribaric, Acting Head of the Brock Digital Scholarship Lab and Map, Data and GIS Library, and Elizabeth Yates, Liaison and Scholarly Communication Librarian. This workshop will explore the process of showcasing graduate research via the Brock Digital Repository and highlight key considerations around publishing, copyright and embargoes. Register here.
  • Oct. 28, 12-1 p.m. – Maximizing Access and Impact: Support for Open Access Publishing at Brock, with Cal Murgu, Instructional Design Librarian, and Elizabeth Yates, Liaison and Scholarly Communication Librarian. This workshop will explore the benefits of open access publishing and highlight financial support available via the Library Open Access Publishing Fund and funding memberships with major publishers. Register here.

The Library will celebrate Open Access Week on Oct. 21 with an event focused on the theme of Open for Whom? Equity in Open Knowledge. All are welcome to attend these interactive and engaging learning opportunities. All events will be held in the Rankin Family Pavilion, Room 214.

1030am-12 pm — Open Access award presentation and movie screening 

Join us as we announce the winner of the Brock University Award for Open Access and discover who is the university’s newest champion of open scholarship! Following the award presentation, enjoy a screening and discussion of the documentary Paywall: The Business of Scholarship – a scathing indictment of how academic publishing systems create barriers to access and innovation. Popcorn will be provided. Facilitator: Elizabeth Yates, Liaison and Scholarly Communication Librarian. Register here.

1-2 pm — Introduction to Data Science with Python. Case Study: SCI-Hub close to home 

You’ve probably heard of Python, but have you heard of Anaconda or Jupyter? This session will present the basics of data science and visualizing results using these two platforms plus two more key ingredients: Pandas  . See the impact that downloading journal articles has in terms of lost revenue and impact against Open Access. Our example will look at analyzing the Niagara Region’s Sci Hub usage for 2017. Sounds interesting? No previous knowledge of coding or statistics required. All you need is your curiosity. Presenter: Tim Ribaric, Acting Head, Digital Scholarship Lab. Register here.

2-3 pmEquity in Open Scholarship: enacting academia’s core values 

When and where to publish is often determined by our disciplinary communities. This interactive session will explore and discuss publishing’s prestige economy and its alignment with our vision for a better world. Join Giulia Forsythe, Associate Director of the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation, for this provocative conversation. Register here.

3-4Accelerating Entrepreneurship with Open Access 

Are you an entrepreneur? Have you had to find market research, articles, or other research to help you with your entrepreneurial venture? As a member of the Brock Community, you have access to library articles, data, and research that the library pays for. This is great when you are a student, but what do you do after graduation, when you don’t have library access anymore? Venture Development, Brock University Library, and the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation are leading a discussion about what challenges entrepreneurs have in finding and accessing research, and what type of research is openly available without having to have access to library-specific resources. Presenters: Giulia Forsythe, Associate Director of the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation; Linda Lowry, Liaison Librarian; Nicole Nolan, Associate University Librarian; and Cassie Price, BioLinc Co-ordinator. Register here.

Open Access Week activities include:

  • Open Access Fact or Fiction Prize Wheel – Oct. 22, 10:30-11:30 am; Oct. 26, 10:30-11:30 am; Library Learning Commons: spin the wheel and win a prize!
  • Movie screenings & discussions:
    • Paywall: The Business of Scholarship — multi-faceted exploration of the high financial and social costs of scholarly publishing
      • Oct. 23, 9-11 am, Library Classroom B
    • The Internet’s Own Boy :The story of programming prodigy and open activist Aaron Swartz, who took his own life at the age of 26
      • Oct. 24, 10am-12pm, TH253
  • Webinar: Exploring Open Educational Resources — Oct. 25, 12-1 pm, ST1126
  • Announcement of the recipient of the Brock University Award for Open Access
  • Displays and information about open access in Library and Learning Commons display cases

Open Access Week activities include:

  • Displays and information about open access in Library and Learning Commons display cases and video monitors
  • Open Access Fact or Fiction Prize Wheel – Oct. 23, 2-3; Oct. 26, 11-12; Library Learning Commons
  • Live stream of Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair, University of Ottawa, discussing the linkages between copyright reform, open access, and open educational resources. Oct. 24, 12:40 pm, Schmon Tower 11th floor, Room 1126
  • Announcement of the recipient of the inaugural Brock University Award for Open Access
  • Library News posts and graphics highlighting the impact of open access for Brock researchers
  • Brock News story on open access and how it affects Brock researchers

Please join Brock Library and the Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Scholarly Publishing on Oct. 25 for events highlighting Open Access Week, an international annual celebration of the movement to make scholarly research freely and immediately available via the Internet.

11 a.m.-12 p.m. Open Access Fact or Fiction Prize Wheel. Library main floor.

1-1:15 p.m. Introduction to Open Access and related Library services with Elizabeth Yates, Scholarly Communication Librarian. TH253

1:15 p.m.-2:15 p.m. Panel discussion with members of the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Scholarly Publishing, including co-chairs Mark Robertson, University Librarian, and Joffre Mercier, Associate Vice-President Research for the Natural and Health Sciences. Hear highlights from the committee’s discussions with Brock stakeholders on issues including scholarly publishing and open access. TH253.

2:30-3:30 Explore Brock’s Digital Repository, an online archive showcasing and preserving the Brock community’s scholarly output, with Tim Ribaric, Digital Services Librarian. TH253.

Join us for fun and informative events celebrating International Open Access Week, Oct. 19-25.

Oct. 20 – Global Open Access Wikipedia Edit-a-thon, 2-4 pm, Learning Commons Classroom A.

Brock will join a virtual, global edit-a-thon to improve Open Access-related content on Wikipedia. No experience needed for this hands-on experience, to be facilitated by Giulia Forsythe, Special Projects Facilitator, CPI.

Oct. 22 – Life after Access Copyright: Moving towards Open Access, 230-330 pm, TH253 e-classroom.

Join us for a discussion of where we are at and we we are going. Facilitators:

  • Blayne Haggart, Dept. of Political Science.
  • Jordan Snel, Brock University Legal Advisor, Research & Copyright
  • Giulia Forsythe, Centre for Pedagogical Innovation

Oct. 19, 20, 22 – Open Access Fact or Fiction Prize Wheel. 12-1 pm, Mackenzie Chown A Block.

Spin to win some sweet prizes and chat with us about Open Access.

Questions? Contact Elizabeth Yates, Acting Head Liaison Services/Scholarly Communication Librarian, ext. 4469 ~ eyates@brocku.ca

Most events will be held in the e-classroom, TH253, except for the altmetrics workshop.

9 – 9:50 am – “It’s a bit like the Wild West out there”: Brock University faculty attitudes towards Open Access publishing. Presentation of research study by Barbara McDonald, Interim University Librarian, Ian Gibson, Collections Librarian, and Elizabeth Yates, Liaison/Scholarly Communication Librarian, James A. Gibson Library

10 – 10:50 am — Open Access publishing panel discussion: hear about the rewards, challenges and surprises involved in making your research openly accessible. Featuring Julia Baird, Postdoctoral Fellow, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre; Jarold L. Cosby, Associate Professor, Kinesiology; Barbara McDonald, Interim University Librarian; Evangelia Tsiani, Associate Professor, Health Sciences and Wendy E. Ward, Professor, Health Sciences and Kinesiology, Canada Research Chair in Bone and Muscle Development.

11 am – 1230 pm — Opening your classroom: Wikipedia, Creative Commons and You. Featuring Giulia Forsythe, Special Projects Facilitator, Centre for Pedagogical Innovation; Lynn McCleary, Associate Professor, Nursing; and Monica Rettig, E-Learning Librarian, James A. Gibson Library.

1 – 2:30 pm – More open, more impact. Explore alternative methods of tracking research impact such as ORCID researcher identifiers, Impact Story and Academia.edu in this hands-on workshop with Ian Gibson, Collections Librarian, and Elizabeth Yates, Liaison/Scholarly Communication Librarian, James A. Gibson Library. Held in Classroom A, Library/Learning Commons.

11 am – 1 pm – Open Access Fact or Fiction prize wheel and information table. Schmon Tower Library Entrance.

For more information, please contact:
Elizabeth Yates, Liaison/Scholarly Communication Librarian
eyates@brocku.ca
905-688-5550 x4469

Please join the James A. Gibson Library for a series of events celebrating Open Access Week 2013, Oct. 21-25. Questions/comments? eyates@brocku.ca

Schedule of Events: At-a-glance

Monday, Oct. 21

  • 12-1 pm — Panel discussion: Experiences with Open Access publishing. Location: Sankey Chamber.
  • 2-3 pm — Authors: Know your copy-rights. Location: Sankey Chamber.

Wednesday, Oct. 23

  • 2-3 pm — Opening up copyright: new freedoms and resources. Location: e-classroom, TH 253

Friday, Oct. 25

  • 11 am – 2 pm. Open Access: Fact or Fiction prize wheel. Location: Library entrance, Schmon Tower.

Full schedule & descriptions

Panel discussion: Experiences with Open Access publishing

Date and time: Monday, Oct., 21, 12 pm to 1 pm
Location: Sankey Chamber

Panelists:
Ana Sanchez, Associate Professor, Community Health Sciences
Carole Stewart, Associate Professor, English Language and Literature
Diane Dupont, Professor, Economics
Barbara McDonald, Associate University Librarian

Moderator: Elizabeth Yates, Liaison/Scholarly Communication Librarian

 Authors: Know your copy-rights

Date and time: Monday, Oct., 21, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: Sankey Chamber

Presenter: Elizabeth Yates, Liaison/Scholarly Communication Librarian

Details: Traditional publishing formats, such as subscription journals, generally require researchers to sign away all their author rights as a condition of publication. This can severely hamper the use of one’s own work in research and teaching while also making it harder for colleagues and the public to benefit from your scholarship. But new modes of scholarly publishing equip researchers to control how their work can be published and re-used, while also making it more accessible to others. Learn about new tools that can help you retain your copy-rights.

 Opening up copyright: new freedoms and resources

Date and time: Wednesday, Oct. 23rd, 2 p.m.-3 p.m.
Location: E-classroom, TH 253

Presenters: Deb Kalvee, Associate University Librarian-Services & Facilities; Elizabeth Yates, Liaison/Scholarly Communication Librarian

New copyright regulations make it easier for faculty members and students to find and use information. There is also a wealth of “copy-free” materials online, including images, music, films, scholarly materials and more, which you can use without worrying about copyright. This workshop will help you find these copyright-free materials and learn how to use them in your teaching and research.

Open Access: Fact or Fiction

Date and time: Friday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location: Library entrance, Schmon Tower

Do all Open Access publications charge author fees to publish? Is OA irrelevant because everyone can already access scholarly research? Do Open Access publications have impact factors? Find out the answers to these questions during a fun game of OA: Fact or Fiction? – and win a great prize!

Brock Officially launches E-Thesis Program

Brock celebrates Open Access Week 2012 with the official launch of the E-Thesis Program, after a successful two-year pilot project.

Other Events:

Monday October 22, 2012      Noon – 1 pm E-Classroom / TH 253 Brown Bag: Bring Your Lunch!

Brock Journal Editors Roundtable Facilitator: Tim Ribaric

Discuss the successes and challenges of editing a peer-reviewed open access journal.  Topics will include: the role of technology, how editorial work fits into traditional faculty responsibilities, and the role of the Library.  Anyone interested in discussing their own experiences or finding out more about the Library’s plans to support scholarly journals at Brock are encouraged to attend.

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Wednesday October 24 10:00 am – 11:00 am E-Classroom/TH 253

Learn How to Find Copyright-free Materials! By Chabriol Colebatch, Copyright Coordinator (co-sponsored by CPI)

Discover how to find “copy-free” materials, including images, music, films, scholarly materials and more. Thanks to technology and the “copyleft” movement, there is a wealth of materials available online for you to use without worrying about copyright. This workshop will help you find these copyright-free materials and learn how to use them in your teaching. Topics in this workshop will include:

  • Where can you find copyright-free images on the net?
  • Where are the main sources for other copyright-free materials (music, film, scholarly materials etc.)?
  • How do you know if a work is in the public domain?
  • What is Creative Commons and how can you use it in your teaching?
  • What are the conditions attached to some of these “copyright-free materials?

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Thursday, October 25, 2012   Noon – 1 pm E-Classroom / TH 253  Brown Bag: Bring Your Lunch!

The Cost of Knowledge: is Open Access the Answer?

Universities exist, in part, to create and disseminate new knowledge. In an analog world, books and journals were the traditional means by which that knowledge was distributed. In today’s digital environment, traditional publishers have moved online, but costs are spiraling and scholars have many alternative options for distributing their scholarly works (including open access journals). This session brings together Brock faculty members, graduate students and librarians to share their perspectives on the choices they have made (or not made) regarding scholarly publishing.

Speakers:

  • Shawn Geniole, PhD student, Psychology
  • Ian Gibson, E-Resources/Liaison Librarian
  • Barbara McDonald, Associate University Librarian (Collections & Liaison Services)
  • Joffre Mercier, Professor, Biological Sciences
  • Richard Mitchell, Associate Professor, Child & Youth Studies and Associate, Brock University ESRC
  • Kiel Ormerod, PhD student, Biological Sciences (and GSA  President 2012-13) – unable to attend

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Friday, October 26, 2012    Noon – 1 pm E-Classroom / TH 253 Brown Bag: Bring Your Lunch!

Opening the Data Vault – and closing the lid on license agreements! Presented by Brock University Library’s Data Research Services team.

The session will highlight the wealth of open data and aggregate statistics available from providers worldwide on topics from arsenic to zoonotic diseases. This session will introduce some of the opportunities and challenges to finding, using, and supporting open data. We’ll conclude with a discussion about sharing and managing researcher data in the context of open access.

From October 24 to 28, the Brock community celebrated Open Access Week.

Library Supports Brock Authors: OA Grant For “Author Fees”
The Library has made $10,000 available to assist researchers who want their work published in an Open Access journal.

Monday, 24 October 2011 from 12:00 to 1:00
Topic: Disseminating Research Through Open Access Journals
Speakers:
Dr. Keri Cronin, Editor, The Brock Review
Dr. Julian Kitchen, Editor, Brock Education
Facilitators: Tim Ribaric and Laurie Morrison

Monday, 24 October 2011 from 1:00 to 4:00
Webinar: New Directions in Scholarly Communication
A discussion of the changing landscape of scientific publishing.
Facilitators: Monica Rettig and Therese Tisseverasinghe

Monday, October 24, 2011 2:00 – 3:00 PM
Webinar: DataCite Project

DataCite Canada, a central registration centre for Canadian research data sets designed to make it simpler for researchers to access, share and manage their data.

Tuesday, 25 October 2011 from 12:00 to 1:00
Topic: Public Access to Publicly Funded Research
Speakers:
Dr. Gary Libben, Vice President, Research, Brock University
Dr. Ryan Plummer, TREN, and Director, Brock Environmental Sustainability Research Unit (BESRU)
Dr. Ana Sanchez, Community Health Sciences
Supporting Info: Access to Research: TriCouncil Guiding Principles
Facilitator: Barbara McDonald

Wednesday, 26 October 2011 from 12:00 to 1:00
Webcast: Chad Gaffield, President of SSHRC [archived webcast from OISE Library]

Facilitator: David Sharron

From October 18 to 22, 2010 the Brock community celebrated Open Access Week. It was an opportunity to explore and discuss the benefits of free, online access to the results of scholarly research.
Monday, October 18 12-1:30
Opening Up Access (Webcast)
Canada’s major research granting agencies have undertaken various strategies to address open access. Come and hear speakers from CIHR, SSHRC, and NSERC share their agencies’ approaches to open access. This event is produced by the OISE library at the University of Toronto.
Panelists include Craig McNaughton (Director, Knowledge Mobilization and Program Integration, SSHRC), Andrea Smith (Manager, Partnerships for Health System Improvement & Evidence on Tap, CIHR), Monique Zaloum (Senior Policy Advisor, Policy & International Relations, NSERC)
Tuesday, October 19 12-1
Hackers, Makers and the Future of Open Access (Seminar)
Advocates for an “Open Access” future base their case on a number of assumptions about economics, net neutrality and the democratization of knowledge. This seminar, presented by Fiacre O’Douinn, focuses on other players in the information landscape, to examine the potential impacts of Open Access on hackerspaces/maker culture and vice-versa.
Recommended Reading: Make-offs: DIY indie innovations by Dale Dougherty (@dalepd).
Wednesday, October 20 12-1:30
What Bill C-32 Misses: Copyright in Academic Life (Webcast)
Dr. Margaret Ann Wilkinson is a Professor in the Faculties of Law and Information at the University of Western Ontario. Professor Wilkinson has spoken and published in the areas of intellectual property, information and media law, and information policy. This event is sponsored by the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL).
Wednesday, October 20 2-3:30
Exploring Open Science (Lecture)
Join John Dupuis, Head of the Steacie Science & Engineering Library, York University, for a discussion of how Science and Technology academics and publishers are responding to the growing open access movement and the changing nature of research in their fields by becoming more innovative in the services and features they offer.
Thursday, October 21 9:30-11
Brock Journal Editors Roundtable
Calling all Journal Editors (and aspiring Journal Editors): you are cordially invited to join us. The roundtable brings together campus editors of peer-reviewed journals to share advice, experiences, questions, challenges and successes.

Questions?

Contact Elizabeth Yates, Research and Scholarly Communication Librarian