Open Access (OA) makes scholarly research permanently accessible online without restrictions, which can benefit all stakeholders in the scholarly publishing process, including researchers, funders, students, librarians, scholarly societies, publishers, and the public.

Dissemination

The freely available online work can be accessed and shared by anyone in the world. Researchers can even access OA literature outside university without encountering paywalls. Authors can benefit from the public availability of their research to others, which may increase the visibility and usage of their work. Many funding agencies encourage OA since the potential for increased visibility and discoverability promises a greater return on investment.

Cooperative Partners

New connections may be made and new partners may become possible, if researchers other than those you normally work with share access to your research. Thus, paving the way for spin-offs and new research opportunities.

Public Access and Engagement

OA means more opportunities for the community at large and potentially more public participation in research which can help research-dependent professionals outside of academia including health workers, faculty, and lawyers benefit from access to the latest discoveries.

Social Benefits

By publishing open access, a virtuous cycle of scholarly resources can foster social knowledge sharing and innovative creativity.