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Open Access Resources by Subject

Open Access Resources

Open Access Resources can be a great way to provide content to your class without having to worry about copyright regulations or licensing fees. Many publishers now offer Open Access Resources for you to use in the classroom. Browse the subject areas to find a resource that meets your needs.

Please note: the terms of use for open access material can vary by publishers. Please note any restrictions placed on the work by the creator/rights holders.

If you have a suggestion for a resource that you would like to see included on this page please fill in the form below for us to review.

 

Suggest a Resource

Library Open Access Collection Policy

Open Access Collection Policy for the Patrick Power Library

The purpose of the Open Access Collection Policy is to provide selection criteria and local access guidelines for free electronic resources.

General Selection Criteria

  1. Resources should be freely accessible and not require a password, registration, or a subscription.
  2. Content should be of scholarly value, credible, and accurate. Consider the following questions:
  • What is the scope of the content?
  • Who is the intended audience?
  • What is the purpose of the site?
  • Is the site up to date?
  • Who is the author?
  • Is the author likely to be authoritative?
  1. Sites should be judged to be permanent and have stable, working URLs.

Access Procedures

Recommendations may be submitted using the form above, or in an email to Allison Watt. Suggested resources may also be sent to members of to the Open Access Collections Committee. Collection Liaisons also may add subject resources to the LibGuide.

Depending on the resource, the Open Access Collections Committee will:

  • Add the electronic resource to the Open Access subject resources LibGuide
  • If appropriate, forward the recommended resource to the Cataloguing and Metadata Systems Department to be catalogued
  • If appropriate, forward individual e-journals to be added to SFX to Acquisitions Services

Each catalogued resource or journal added to SFX will be documented on an Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet will include the title, URL, source of referral, and date entered to the file.

Examples of catalogued resources and journals:

Other categories of open access resources, such as subject websites, may not be suitable for cataloguing, but will be accessible via the Open Access Subject Resources Libguide.

Ongoing Evaluation and Maintenance

Ongoing evaluation and maintenance of Open Access LibGuides will be carried out by members of the Open Access Collections Committee. Catalogue links and journals listed in SFX will be updated as needed by staff in the Cataloguing & Metadata Department or the Acquisitions Department.