USAIN/CBHL 2024 Biennial Meeting

Hosted by the USAIN Advocacy and Action Committee

This panel session will facilitate a discussion of the key ideas in the OSTP policy. The session will begin by presenting the results of a survey of USAIN members and their status regarding adopting the policy. Together, the panelists possess vital experiences through their work of advocacy, federal libraries, and public Universities within and outside of USAIN. They will share their experiences advocating for and supporting the implementation of public access and open access policies for federally sponsored research and highlight the benefits and potential challenges of this legislation for libraries and universities.

Audience members will be encouraged to share their experiences and ask OSTP- and open access- related questions. The audience will learn about challenges and best practices for adopting the OSTP policy at higher education institutions. The discussion will highlight the role of libraries, stakeholders, and partners in implementing this policy and how to encourage trust and adoption at their institutions. The session will raise awareness of this policy and its status to inform individual and collective strategies for supporting and enabling open scholarship at USAIN and peer institutions.

There is an emerging body of research in Library and Information Science (LIS) that reveals the benefits of open access research to society and to the scientific research and the scholarly communication processes. The proposed OSTP policy and mandates are consistent with the core values of libraries and the pivotal role that libraries play as guardians of information ensuring ‘ready and equitable access to information for all library users.’ [ALA Core Values]