KU Libraries to celebrate Open Access Week with virtual office hours


The University of Kansas Libraries will celebrate the 13th annual International Open Access Week October 19-23 by offering virtual office hours for KU faculty, staff and students to learn about the benefits of open scholarship and practices.

Faculty from KU Libraries’ David Shulenburger Office of Scholarly Communication & Copyright will host Open Access Week office hours Monday, October 19, 3-5 p.m.; Tuesday, October 20, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.; and Thursday, October 22, 2-4 p.m. All office hours will be held via Zoom (password: 218343). Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to participate by popping into the room at their convenience during the hosted hours to ask questions, consult on a project, or learn more about open access topics. 

“Open Access Week is a great opportunity to engage with scholarly authors and illuminate the benefits of open access,” said Josh Bolick, scholarly communication librarian. “We are available to talk through a variety of issues related to scholarly publishing — from copyright and fair use to open access publication and self-archiving.” 

Other topics up for discussion during Open Access Week office hours are author rights, increasing visibility and impact of research, and support for open educational resources (OER). 

“As we collectively face previously unimagined challenges in every aspect of our personal and professional lives, research and teaching at KU carry on,” said Ada Emmett, director of the Shulenburger Office of Scholarly Communication & Copyright. “Consulting with the KU community to answer questions, brainstorm solutions and raise awareness about the benefits of open access is more important now than ever.”

Open Access Week office hours are open to all members of the KU community. No appointment or registration is required. In addition, individual consultations are available throughout the year. To learn more, contact lib_oscc@ku.edu

KU Libraries have been fierce advocates of open access policies for more than a decade. In 2009, the Open Access Policy for University of Kansas Scholarship was passed by KU Faculty Senate, cementing the university’s dedication to open scholarship for those at KU and beyond.