OA Publishing Options

The University Libraries provides a number of services and resources for researchers and faculty who would like to make thier work openly available. Below are ways that you can learn more about how to publish and locate open access (OA) research.

How to make your research openly available |  How to find OA materials | Starting an OA Journal 

 

How to make your research openly available

1. Self archive your work by depositing into a repository (Green OA)

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). The Directory of Open Access Repositories provides an overview of OA journals.

If you are a member of the University of Toronto community, the most convenient option is to submit to 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. Visit the First Time Users page or contact TSpace's staff.

2. Publish your research in a journal that allows work to be made openly available immediately upon publication

This may come in the form of publishing your work in a: 

  • Hybrid OA Journal: A paywalled journal (also referred to as "closed" or subscription based) that gives you the option of publishing your article open access. You will likely have to pay the publisher in the form of an Article Process Charge (APC) for this right. 
  • Gold OA Journal: A journal where all published research is made openly available immediately upon publication. Depending on the business model, you may have to pay the publisher in the form of an APC.

The University of Toronto Libraries offers discounts to eligible University of Toronto authors who are paying APCs to make their research openly available. These discounts help to reduce the financial obligations on researchers.

The Directory of Open Access Journals can help you to identify OA publishers. Please note: there are some questionable open access publishers. Consult UTL's "Identifying Deceptive Publishers Checklist" before submitting to an open access journal.

How to find OA materials

Directories 

For additional information, see the Open Education page for more open, free, and affordable course materials.

Browser extensions

Unpaywall and Open Access Button can help locate 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 maintain 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 OJS, consult the Getting Started guide or contact jps@library.utoronto.ca.