Open Access to All, and to All a Goodnight

Cordero, Brandon

Oladokun, B. D., Sambo, A. S., Bassey, M. M., & Enakrire, R. T. (2024). The open access effect:    Transforming collection development using open repositories. International Journal of Librarianship,        9(4), 36–51. https://doi-org.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/10.23974/ijol.2024.vol9.4.395

Summary:

This paper employs a systematic literature review to look at the effect of increased open access (OA) articles on academic libraries. The study finds OA articles and journals have facilitated libraries to reallocate their funds from subscription-based journals to to support OA initiatives and improve digital infrastructure. OA supports collaboration, innovation, and equitable information between libraries and their audiences. However, challenges like sustainability, quality control, copyright compliance, and digital preservation are factors that can inhibit OA from expanding. 

Review:

This topic is important in addressing the rise of digital age materials. While digital age media has become more accessible than ever before, subscriptions and their rates are also rising. Open access looks to solve these problems by creating a source of free resources. Resources and collections will no longer depend on which college you attend, open access incentivizes academic institutions to work together in creating equitable access. Oladokun and crew have done a great job at laying out the benefits, the most effected groups (such as STEM majors having the most expensive journal subscriptions), challenges, and future outlook if we keep investing in open access materials.

Providing Perpetual Access

Tutko, Lonny

Glasser, Sarah. April 8, 2015. Providing Perpetual Access https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvRnp_cgGzU Duration 54:06.

Very interesting video on ALCTSCE Youtube channel about libraries’ struggle to acquire and maintain perpetual access to publications from subscription database providers.

Survivor: Can We Outlast, Outwit Amazon?

Laudato, Maricar

Braun, L. B. (October 2014). E-book subscription services: It's about convenience. VOYA.

Summary

Linda Braun discusses the concern that some librarians have over the growing popularity of eBook subscription services such as Amazon Unlimited, Oyster Books, and Scribd. With these services, customers pay a subscription fee to gain unlimited access to that server’s collection of literary works. Adding fuel to the fear is that libraries will no longer remain relevant because of the ease and convenience of these eBook subscription services over the limitations that one faces with library. However, Braun argues that libraries will continue to remain relevant as long as we continue to provide the service that we are trained to do: show students how to find, evaluate, and use reliable information sources.

Evaluation

I thought that Braun’s article was interesting because it underlined how important the role of convenience went into play when it came to how patrons wanted their information delivered. Libraries had long relied on the fact that simply because their services and information was free that people would consume it. Therefore, it is completely understandable that the notion that people would pay to have information delivered to them because it is more convenient and easier would strike fear in librarians’ hearts. However, libraries have survived the mega-bookstores, but it has yet to be seen if libraries can outlast the services of the “Amazons” out there!