Introducing OASPA’s Wayfinders: Increasing Equity in Open Access Publishing

OASPA’s first webinar of 2024 introduces some of OASPA’s ‘Wayfinders’ – examples of those increasing equity in OA in different ways. Per-publication charges (APC/BPCs), Read & Publish transformative agreements, ‘publish-only’ agreements and most other pay-to-publish models in open access (OA) currently exclude many researchers without the ability to pay, and leave out those who aren’t affiliated with the ‘right’ institutions. Better engagement routes are also needed in all OA models so any scholar, regardless of funding, geography or affiliation, can have a voice in scholarly publishing and be a stakeholder with influence. Positive change is possible through the willingness of OA publishing organisations to increase equity in OA. Where there is a will there’s a way, and throughout 2024 OASPA is amplifying ‘Wayfinders’ – examples of those increasing equity in OA in different ways. In our launch webinar of the Wayfinders series, a discussion of four distinct models will spark thinking around correcting current trajectories of (predominantly) inequitable OA. This Wayfinders webinar features science journals from two different continents, books in the humanities, and a medical journal turning the APC/waiver model on its head in favour of total inclusion. OASPA’s Wayfinders series brings to life practical case studies helping all organisations find their own way to more equity in OA. Malavika Legge, creator of this new Wayfinders series and author of OASPA’s posts on Equity in OA will introduce and chair this webinar which includes the following speakers: Making APCs more inclusive: eCancer’s Danny Burke – Pay what you can afford – a way to flip the APC model on its head Avoiding exclusion by going green: Meagan Phelan os AAAS – APC-based OA is exclusionary, but a green policy can include all Thinking out of the box with BOCs: Ros Pyne – Bloomsbury Open Collections paving their own way to equitable OA No charges to read or publish: Susan Veldsman of ASSAF – running fee-free science journals