OHIO’s Libraries to Promote Open Access Week with Workshops and Documentary Screening

Alden Library in partnership with the Athens County Public Libraries will host Open Access Week from Oct. 21-27 with events at both Alden Library and the Athens County Library at 30 Home St. in Athens.

Two workshops titled “Information for All” will be hosted at Alden Library on Oct. 21 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in room 251, and the Athens Public Library on Oct. 22 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The workshops and their presenters include:

• Open Digital Resources: Archives and Special Collections, Broad and Narrow by Janet Carlton, Erin Wilson and James Gilmer
• Textbook Affordability: The Power of OER by John Canter and Sherri Saines
• Open to All: Free Resources at the Athens County Public Libraries by Laura O’Neil
• Open Resources for the Citizen Scientist: Biodiversity Heritage Library and iNaturalist by Andrew Stuart
• Local Histories, Digital Collections: Ohio Stories in the Libraries’ Digital Archive by Stacey Lavender

Additionally, a documentary screening will take place in Alden Library room 319 on Oct. 25 from 2 to 4 p.m. titled, “Paywall: The Business of Scholarship,” which questions the billion-dollar industry of for-profit academic publishers.

Every year, Open Access Week is celebrated internationally to promote the concept of Open Access, or free and immediate access to information for everyone. This year the group, headed by Araba Dawson-Andoh and consisting of Kelly Broughton, Andrew Stuart, John Canter and Janet Hulm, has teamed up with the Athens County Public Libraries to coincide with the theme of “Open for Whom? Equity in Open Knowledge.” 

 “Open Access is sort of a movement to change the model of the way information is distributed, so that the people who need to read and use the information don’t have to pay for it,” Broughton said. 

All members of the community are invited to attend the events at both Alden Library and the Athens County Public Library. All events are free and open to the public.

For more information visit this link: https://www.ohio.edu/library/about/news-events/libraries-promote-open-access-week.