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Open Access Research

This guide contains information about open access resources and events held by the University Library.

Open Access Policy @ Cal State LA (In progress)

You can download the presentation slides here.

Open Access Policy FAQ

1. Does Cal State LA currently have an Open Access Policy? Not yet. The library is exploring the possibility of implementing a Green Open Access Policy on campus, but there is no formal campus-wide OA policy at the moment.

1. What is a Green Open Access Policy? Green open access is repository-based open access. Green OA models are agnostic about publisher open-access behaviors, relying instead on institutions and authors to take steps to make otherwise toll-access works freely available in online repositories that may be (and often are) managed by institutions. 

2. What are the advantages of the Green Open Access Policy? The intention of this policy is to promote the broadest possible access to Cal State LA’s research. In doing so, it also protects faculty member’s intellectual property by retaining copyright to their scholarly articles. Retaining copyright to scholarly articles keeps authors in the driver’s seat over their work, by enabling future uses such as posting their work to personal websites or places like ResearchGate, using it in classrooms, or expanding upon it for future work.

3. Does it mean faculty can only publish in Open Access Journals? No. While faculty can choose to publish in truly Open Access journals (i.e., “Gold Open Access”) that are rigorously peer-reviewed, a “Green Open Access” policy is solely about retaining authors’ rights to deposit their articles in an Open Access repository and share them however they see fit.

4. Who's covered by the policy? Cal State LA’s green open access policy will cover everyone who authors scholarly articles while employed by Cal State LA. 

5. Would it restrict the ability of faculty to publish in peer-reviewed scholarly journals with high impact factors? No. Faculty publish where they would have published without such a policy. If necessary or desired, a faculty member can opt out of the policy for any scholarly article, no questions asked. Faculty can also delay access to their scholarly articles with an embargo at a time period they set. 

6. Would a Green Open Access policy restrict the ability of faculty to earn publishing royalties? No. Green Open Access policy provisions pertain only to scholarly articles, which almost never pay author royalties. Royalty-producing publications, such as monographs, do not fall under the category of “scholarly articles.”

John F. Kennedy Memorial Library
California State University, Los Angeles
5151 State University Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90032-8300
323-343-3988