(via Ramune Kubilius, Galter Health Sciences Library and Learning Center at Northwestern University)
The Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA) is delighted to share the recording of our lively “Beyond the Ivory Tower” webinar about the real-world importance of open access today.
Watch this video to hear about how about how open access is:
- “bridging the gap between what we know and what we do” at the frontline of emergency healthcare and communicating best available evidence to those working to save lives and stop human suffering;
- fostering openness of ideas, letting new concepts flow freely; and
- delivering “something spicy” that can be found in the “detail of humanities scholarship”.
Despite over 50% of users who are not academics reaching open publications in 64 topics, personal opinions and mixed messages abound. Are we meeting people where they are? Or expecting them to meet us where we are? Where and how is trust to be found?
Our speakers did not hold back, saying many scholars are “out of touch and elitist…”. So, this conversation also ranged from “returning the researcher to the community” to asking how we can use open access to “get ahead of current public anger and frustration at higher education and scholarship.
The recording of this vibrant conversation is accompanied by written responses to questions directly from panelists for questions that we did not have time to cover during this one-hour session, in addition to resources shared in the live chat. You can find these under the recording on the blog post.
Our thanks to moderator Ameet Doshi, and speakers Lacey LaGrone, Beth Daley,and Joy Connolly, for showing us why there has never been a better time to engage with the potential of open access as a real-world benefit, especially for those beyond ivory towers.