OECD report on "Making Open Science a Reality"

The OECD’s recent report on “Making Open Science a Reality" reviews progress in making the results of publicly-funded research papers and data available by Open Access, looking at the rationale behind open access and the impact which open access policies have made so far, the legal barriers to progress and a review of the key actors in the field.

The report is available both in PDF format and in standard html format.

The main conclusions of the report are as follows:

• Open Science is a means to support better quality science, increased collaboration, better engagement between research and society, and higher social and economic impact of public research
• Open science policies should be principle-based but adapted to local realities, taking into account the needs of the different participants involved in research projects
• Better incentive mechanisms are needed to promote data-sharing practices among researchers
• Better data skills are essential for researchers, students and citizens;
• Training and awareness-raising among researchers is important for the development of an open science culture
• Repositories and online platforms will not have impact if the information they contain is not of good quality.

Steve Smith
Library

European Communities Statement on Alternative Models for Open Access Publishing

With the European Union and most of the major UK research funders now mandating the Open Access publishing of research derived from public funding, calls for the development of a long-term, sustainable model for open access publishing are growing month by month. As part of this process, the European Commission organised a workshop in Brussels on 12 October to collect information and reflect on some of the more established and on some newly-developed financial models for Open Access publishing.

Green open access models using organisational or subject repositories and Gold open access models requiring Article Processing Charges (APCs) both have their advantages and disadvantages, but newer models are now coming to the fore which could optimise existing models and forge routes for the creation of new OA scenarios. The presentations given on some of these newer OA models can be accessed on the European Communities DG Research and Innovation website.

A discussion on the future of Open Access publishing models was also launched on the new Digital for Science Platform. You can join the debate at: https://ec.europa.eu/futurium/en/content/what-future-open-access-publishing

In addition to the workshop, EC Research Commissioner Carlos Moedas has also issued a statement calling on publishers to adapt their Open Access publishing models to new financial realities. This statement can also be accessed on the EC's Europa website.

Steve Smith IS Academic Engagement Group

Aspire reading lists: changing to digitise on request

When updating Aspire lists for 2016-2017 convenors must add the Note to library "Please digitise" for all the chapters and articles in Aspire reading lists they would like the library to digitise before they republish.

After listening to feedback, this change has been made to ensure that chapters and articles deemed most important for the module by the convenor are digitised in time for teaching. As always, library staff will contact you if they are unable to digitise e.g. for copyright reasons.

Library staff will digitise according to previous guidelines until the Semester Two Aspire lists deadline, 30th November 2015. Information Services do not guarantee that anything added to Semester Two Aspire lists (or to lists for modules taught over both semesters) after November 30th will be available for teaching in Semester Two.

If you are the convenor for a distance learner module or a Semester Three 2015-2016 module, please begin adding your Notes to library to your Aspire reading lists as soon as possible.

Please contact your subject librarian if you have any questions about this.
You may find these links useful

• FAQ: How to add Note to library
• Step-by-step guide: Create and publish your Aspire reading lists
• FAQ: Update your existing Aspire reading list

Please contact your subject librarian or Academic Engagement acastaff@aber.ac.uk 01970621896 if you would like some training or a refresher. We're happy to visit at a time and place convenient for you.