Finding the Balance: Creating an open, sustainable future for OU

Abstract

Today’s scholars have more publishing options available to them than ever before. In addition to traditional publishing venues, open publishing has become a viable and practicable option for communicating research to ever broadening audiences. This breadth of publishing options focuses new attention on the way business models, accessibility, copyright and intellectual property, and research dissemination are envisioned. Moreover, these considerations have important and pressing implications for OU faculty members and graduate students who are authors, readers, reviewers, editors, society associates, and advisory board members dependent upon effective scholarly communication for professional development and advancement. Scholars are on the cusp of a transformative shift toward a more sustainable system of scholarly communication. In 2019 the University Libraries Committee convened a Scholarly Communication Taskforce to examine these issues. The Taskforce met during the 2019-2020 and will continue their work through the spring of 2022. The Taskforce has met monthly to discuss selected readings and how these scholarly communication topics will effect their colleagues and students in their colleges and departments.The Taskforce's work culminated in this report "Finding the Balance: Creating an Open Sustainable Future for OU," to be presented to the OU community. For more information, visit the Taskforce website at https://bit.ly/SCTFReport.