Linking Users to Open Access

Grogg, Jill E. Linking Users to Open Access [Electronic version].Searcher, 13 (4):52-56, April 2005

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=821739421&sid=l&Fmt=4&clientld=57020&RQT=309&vName=PQD

Abstract of the article:

Providing practical and effective access to OA (open access) content form the focus of the article. It hopes to help those librarians and information professionals to provide their users with access to quality scholarship whether free or fee based.

3 Things I learned from the article:

1. The difference between OA journals and OA archives, is that OA journals conduct peer review while OA archives do not conduct peer review.

2. Web sites, ebooks, discussion forums, blogs, wikis, RSS feeds, list servs, P2P file sharing networks are other OA vehicles that we could use.

3. There is a designated color code to classify journals ; gold : publisher provides OA to its research articles, without delay, green : publisher permits postprint archiving by authors, pale green : publisher permits, i.e., doesn't oppose, reprint archiving by authors and lastly, gray : publisher offers none of the above.

Implications :

There is always a way in providing information to our patrons, the major point here is to point the users to the copy appropriate for them and their current needs. Librarians still play an important role in decision making. Before if a library doesn't have access to an article from a publisher or a print copy on the shelf then the library could still try to acquire a copy of the article for the patron through outside holdings from other library or what we call interlibrary loan. This time because of the latest technology if someone is asking a copy, as a general reference librarian I would suggest or advise the users to the official copy for purposes of scholarly authentication and to the open access version, for purposes of access ( if they do not have licensed access to the official version).