Join UC Libraries in celebrating International Open Access Week 2026.

Research is a conversation. We build upon the insights and findings of those who’ve preceded us, and those we work in parallel with, to move our areas of study forward. Ideally, those conversations also push beyond the boundaries of the academy, informing work done by practitioners, industry, activists and government. But, not everyone is having the same conversation.

Paywalls and the considerable cost of journal subscriptions make research inaccessible to most people outside of research institutions, and access even within those institutions can be variable, particularly for our colleagues in the Global South. The goal of open access is to remove the barriers between research and those who can build upon it and employ it.

It’s hard to argue with that goal, but reaching it can be complicated and confusing for authors. UC Libraries can help. If you’re new to open access, or if you’ve struggled with navigating the open world in the past, this post unpacks a few open access basics and the supports open to UC scholars.