The Centre for Research Communications (CRC), based at the University of Nottingham has recently released 4 briefing papers about Open Access and its potential to support the creation, dissemination and sharing of knowledge.

The CRC currently houses work on a number of significant research communication projects:

• RCS (research communications strategy project). This acts as a strategic advisory project for senior institutional managers on changes in research communication, and informs JISC strategy in funding and developments in the area.
• The RSP (repositories support project). This helps UK higher education institutions to establish and develop institutional repositories, providing open access to their research outputs.
• NECOBELAC. This project is a collaborative European project to advocate and establish open access for healthcare information between Europe, Latin America, and Caribbean countries.

The recent briefing papers are as follows:

Open Access: In Support of Research

This briefing paper describes how Open Access supports research. It reviews some of the benefits of OA and explains important factors that come into play for the “green” (OAI-PMH, institutional mandates, data storage) and “gold” (OA publication funds, transitional costs) routes. Best practices, such as the adoption of institutional mandates, instruction in copyright and IPR, establishment of OA publishing funds, and collaboration with existing organisations, are also included in this paper.

Open Access: Beyond the Numbers

This briefing paper goes beyond the discussion of the costs of Open Access and describes the case for OA in relation to the creation and dissemination of knowledge. It explains the properties of knowledge, such as intangible capital, and describes how subscription publishing works against knowledge transfer, while OA supports the sharing of knowledge and results in large public gains.

Open Access: Embedding Repositories

This briefing paper describes the University of Glasgow’s repository, Enlighten, and how it became embedded in the institution. The drivers for the creation of the repository, including: increasing the impact for research, presenting the University’s research profile, and complying with funding body OA policies, are also explained. The paper also describes the publication policy that has been adopted at Glasgow, as well as other developments that have moved the work forward.

“Gold” Open Access Publishing

This briefing paper describes some of the reasons why “gold” open access publishing should be supported. These include the need for HEIs to be part of the ongoing experiment with new business models. “Gold” OA publishing is also a way to reach immediate open access and to market research outputs, and it currently fits more readily with established workflows and cultural practices. This paper also lists practical questions that should be considered when thinking about how “gold” OA publishing can be supported at an institutional or research group level.