Providing access to research resources is at the core of many libraries' missions, including the Ronald Williams Library at NEIU. Yet for the past decade, the cost of scholarly journals and academic databases has risen dramatically, outpacing both inflation and stagnant library budgets. The international open access movement, which many credit with beginning in the early 2000s, seeks break down financial barriers to research. Open access refers to a publishing model that ensures the free, immediate, online availability of research works coupled with the rights to use these works fully in the digital environment. Every year, Open Access Week seeks to educate people about the importance of freely available research.
For a sweet spin on the topic of costly scholarly resources, we're challenging NEIU students, faculty, and staff members to guess how much money NEIU Libraries spend each year on scholarly journals and databases.
In the box below (which you can find near the entrance of the Ronald Williams Library), we've loaded in Hershey's Kisses. Each piece of candy represents $1,000. Take your guess, and the winner will be notified on Friday, October 25! In the meantime, check out NEIU Digital Commons, our open access repository of student and faculty work.
