Publishing Open Access

How to Publish OA

The options are many: an author can publish in a closed journal, but pay for their article to be open; they may publish in an open journal;  or they may simply choose to deposit a manuscript of their work in an open repository. Add to this that ScienceMatters, an innovative institution aiming to realign the incentives in scientific publishing to create more robust findings, offers an exciting alternative: publishing single observations. No matter your route to open, this page can help get you started.

Publish with a hybrid subscription journal

If you are submitting a paper to a closed Journal, but want your paper to be open, you often have the option to pay the publisher directly for this right. Often this information is found on the publisher’s website. If you are trouble finding this information, please feel free to contact scholarly communications and we can explore this option for you. 

Submit to an open access journal 

Find open access journals: Directory of Open Access Journals. Some open access journals charge article processing fees, much like those charged by closed journals for “hybrid” open access, and some do not. Please note: there are some  questionable open access publishers. Consult CARL’s "Identifying and avoiding predatory publishers: a primer for researchers" before submitting to an open access journal.

Deposit into a repository

Repositories are online databases that aim to collect, preserve and make accessible intellectual outputs. Some are defined by the subject matter of their materials (subject repositories) and some by the organization from which their materials are produced (institutional repositories). To find an open access repository, start with the handy resource the Directory of Open Access Repositories.

If you are a member of the University of Toronto community, the most convenient option is to submit to U of T’s TSpace. All items in TSpace are openly accessible, either immediately or after the publisher's embargo period. Additionally, faculty receiving Tri-Agency (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR) funding can request deposit assistance to comply with funder’s open access policy on publications. Visit the First Time Users page or contact TSpace's staff.

How to Find OA Materials

Directories 

For additional information, visit the research guide on Open, Free & Affordable Course Materials, which includes links to major OER repositories, sources of open university courseware, and zero-to-low cost material licensed by the University of Toronto. 

Browser extensions

Unpaywall and Open Access Button can help you find open access materials online. Install these browser extensions and they will automatically suggest open versions of academic papers when available.

Starting an Open Access Journal

Journal Production Services at the University of Toronto Libraries support open access publishing at U of T by providing free hosting for academic faculty and student journals on Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform.

OJS is a collaborative, open source publishing platform developed and maintained by the Public Knowledge Project (PKP) that assists with every stage of the refereed publishing process, from submissions through peer review and online publication. Journal publishers have control over their content, editorial workflows, policies, and website interface, while the UTL team provides technical support and troubleshooting for the platform.

Visit the JPS website to see the collection of journals hosted by the UTL.
If you are interested in starting a journal or moving to JPS, read our Getting Started guide or get in touch with us at jps@library.utoronto.ca.