The Library Unbound: Milne Library News

Open Access Week: Who Owns Our Knowledge?

International Open Access Week takes place from October 20-26, bringing together scholars and researchers worldwide to celebrate, examine, and discuss the principles and practices of Open Access (OA). OA aims to provide “free, immediate, online access to research articles, along with the rights to fully use these articles in the digital environment” (SPARC). This year’s theme, Who Owns Our Knowledge?, poses the  question about how communities can reclaim control over the knowledge they create during periods of disruption. It encourages us to think deeply not only about who can access education and research, but also about how knowledge is produced and shared, where it originates, and whose voices are acknowledged and valued. 

Here at SUNY Oneonta, we’re celebrating the final round of the open access publishing fund, which closes on October 17th. Milne Library has been awarded $30,000 from SUNY Oneonta’s Regaining Momentum initiative to help authors cover open access publishing costs, often called article processing charges (APCs) or book processing charges (BPCs). This last round of funding offers a valuable opportunity for SUNY Oneonta authors to make their research more widely accessible. Alongside this, the SUNY Open Access Repository (SOAR) continues to serve as a trusted platform, storing, indexing, and making available the scholarly and creative works of SUNY faculty, while fully respecting and protecting their ownership rights. 

Monday,October 20

11:00am-12:00: Drop in and chat with Sophia your Scholarly Communication Librarian 

Location: Milne Library 102A

Swing by for a quick chat about the SUNY Open Access Repository (SOAR)! Learn how sharing your work through SOAR can boost your scholarly visibility and impact. No presentation, no pressure—just drop in, ask questions, and discover how open access can work for you. Faculty, students, and staff welcome! 

Tuesday,October 21

2:00pm-3:00pm: Open Access Week: Knowledge is Power: Who Owns It, Who Shares It, and Why Libraries Matter 

Location: Milne Library 102A

Tune in for a live-streamed panel hosted by UAB Libraries’ Office of Scholarly Communication in celebration of International Open Access Week 2025. This year’s theme, Who Owns Our Knowledge?, sets the stage for a conversation on how libraries support faculty and students in understanding and retaining ownership of their scholarly and creative work. Panelists will share how these issues shape their library’s mission and look ahead to the future of libraries as stewards of knowledge. 

Tuesday,October 21

3:00pm-4:30pm: Paywall: The Business of Scholarship

Location: Milne Library 102A

Join us for a screening of Paywall: The Business of Scholarship, a compelling documentary that highlights the urgent need for open access to research and science. The film questions why $25.2 billion flows into for-profit academic publishing each year and investigates how top publishers like Elsevier maintain profit margins of 35–40%—often higher than tech giants like Apple, Facebook, and Google. Through interviews with a diverse range of academics, publishers, and open access advocates from around the world—including RLUK’s Executive Director David Prosser—Paywall explores the global movement toward more equitable access to knowledge.  

After the screening, enjoy some food and stay for a conversation with your Scholarly Communication Librarian to talk about your own publishing experiences, challenges you're facing, and how the library can support your work and help increase your scholarly impact. 

Thursday,October 23

11:00am-12:30 : We Are Enough: Practical Open Access for Everyone 

Location: Milne Library 102A

Join the Penn State University Libraries for a live-streamed panel discussion,"We are Enough: Practical Open Access for Everyone".This event explores how open access can be inclusive, accessible, and impactful for all. Hear from leading voices in the field as they share practical insights and ideas for building a more equitable scholarly communication system.