Here Be Dragons (or Treasure?): Navigating Complexities of OA Funding Options

Presentation Type

Presentation

Start Date

8-4-2026 1:45 PM

End Date

8-4-2026 2:15 PM

Description

The wide availability of open access scholarship benefits authors, readers, and institutions. But it can be challenging to navigate OA funding options, especially in a climate of budget cuts and rising costs. In these conditions, how can institutions support authors who want--or need--to share their work via open access?

At UNC Greensboro, a mid-sized regional public university in central North Carolina, OA funding support options include APC waivers and discounts through read-and-publish agreements with certain publishers, as well as an OA subvention fund that offers limited awards to offset some APC costs. These options have supported many UNCG authors in reducing or removing APC costs, but they have also come with challenges–including limited funds, capped deals, and complex terms–all of which can impact the success and the need for support for authors who use these deals.

This presentation will provide an overview of some challenges associated with helping authors navigate OA funding support options, and a brief discussion of how UNCG is handling these issues. Attendees will be encouraged to consider these issues in the contexts of their own institutions, and will leave with an understanding of some of the ways libraries can support authors in this changing environment.

Author Bios

Anna R. Craft joined the UNCG University Libraries in 2011 and has served in positions focused on open access, metadata, cataloging, and scholarly communications. Currently she serves as Coordinator of Scholarly Communications and provides support, training, and development opportunities for students and faculty at UNCG, with a special focus on open access support.

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Apr 8th, 1:45 PM Apr 8th, 2:15 PM

Here Be Dragons (or Treasure?): Navigating Complexities of OA Funding Options

The wide availability of open access scholarship benefits authors, readers, and institutions. But it can be challenging to navigate OA funding options, especially in a climate of budget cuts and rising costs. In these conditions, how can institutions support authors who want--or need--to share their work via open access?

At UNC Greensboro, a mid-sized regional public university in central North Carolina, OA funding support options include APC waivers and discounts through read-and-publish agreements with certain publishers, as well as an OA subvention fund that offers limited awards to offset some APC costs. These options have supported many UNCG authors in reducing or removing APC costs, but they have also come with challenges–including limited funds, capped deals, and complex terms–all of which can impact the success and the need for support for authors who use these deals.

This presentation will provide an overview of some challenges associated with helping authors navigate OA funding support options, and a brief discussion of how UNCG is handling these issues. Attendees will be encouraged to consider these issues in the contexts of their own institutions, and will leave with an understanding of some of the ways libraries can support authors in this changing environment.