Open Access is the free, immediate, online availability of research articles combined with the rights to use these articles fully in the digital environment. Open Access ensures that anyone can access and use these results—to turn ideas into industries and breakthroughs into better lives.
-SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition)
Who Benefits from Open Access?
Authors - research and publications become more visible and more frequently cited
Researchers - avoid paywalls to access latest research on the web, build upon and further the research of others
Libraries - able to offer access to more journals and resources without worrying about the cost