Open Access Week 2023
The theme of this year’s international Open Access Week is ‘Community over commercialisation’.
At the University of Sheffield, we’re holding the following events to celebrate and explore all things open access and community-led:
Open Research Conversation
Scholars are doing it for themselves: The challenges and opportunities of open access scholar-led publishing (open to all)
Monday 23 October 2023, 12.00-13.00, online
Scholar-led publishing - publishing which is managed and led by academics rather than commercial publishers or other institutions or bodies - provides an opportunity for researchers to determine the conditions under which academic work is circulated. Consequently, it can present a range of opportunities for the open, equitable, diverse and inclusive circulation of knowledge.
In this session, we explore a range of perspectives from researchers operating in and engaged analytically with this space, including Toby Steiner (Flavours of Open), Meredith Warren (co-editor-in-chief of the open access scholar-led Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies) and Emma Cheatle and Luis Hernan of the open access scholar-led architecture journal Field.
Find out more and book a place
Information session: Changes to the UKRI open access policy - Monographs, book chapters and edited collections (TUoS staff and PGR students only)
Thursday 26th October, 14.00-15.30, hybrid: Alfred Denny Conference Room / online
Monographs, book chapters and edited collections acknowledging UKRI funding and published on or after 1st January 2024 will need to be open access within 12 months of publication to comply with the new UKRI open access policy. This information session will introduce the new policy, and outline the different routes to compliance. It will explain how to access funding, what you need to know about licensing, and how to tell whether your publication is in-scope or exempt from the policy. It will also be an opportunity to ask questions and discuss any concerns with the Library open access team.
Supporting the transformation of academic publishing: The library Open Scholarship Fund (open to all)
Friday 27th October, 14.00-14.45, online
The University Library expresses a desire in its Comprehensive Content Strategy to effect a transformation in academic publishing and scholarly communication. To support this, it established its Open Scholarship Fund in 2021.
Much of the conversation around the transition to Open Access publishing has centred on large 'read-and-publish' deals signed with major academic publishers. As they look to incorporate existing library subscription spend, they have also had a significant effect on academic library budgets. However, their role in bringing about a true transformation in publishing has been pragmatic, limited and much criticised. The Open Scholarship Fund is the Library's attempt to go beyond this and is used to support innovative, community-owned and scholar-led publishing initiatives alongside local projects aimed at opening up research and educational practice.
This talk will explain where the Open Scholarship Fund is being spent, including examples of how it is being used to support the development of Open Educational Resources at the University and the digitisation of our Archival and Special Collections for open access.
Events from White Rose University Press
Can a new story of human emotions help us to find ourselves today?
Penny Spikins, Professor of the Archaeology of Human Origins, University of York, published her most recent book Hidden Depths: The Origins of Human Connection with White Rose University Press (WRUP) in 2022. WRUP is the University of Leeds’ peer reviewed, open access academic publishing house, jointly operated by the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York.
All members of the White Rose Universities (Sheffield, Leeds and York) are invited to an event celebrating the publication of Hidden Depths. This evening of discussion will see Penny show the relevance of the origins of human emotion and emotional connection to the issues we face in today’s world. Penny will begin with a talk on these themes, and then lead a Q&A session with the audience. More information about White Rose University Press will also be provided, and you will be able to meet the Chair of the Editorial Board and the Press Manager.
The event will be on the evening of Wednesday 25th October, starting with drinks at 17:45, in the Berrick Saul Building at the University of York. Full details of the event can be found on the Eventbrite booking page, where you can also book your place. Booking is required if you would like to attend, and this will close on Monday 16 October.
If you have any questions about the evening, please contact Lucy Cook from WRUP via lucy.cook@york.ac.uk.