IUPUI University Library’s mission is to Inform, Connect, and Transform. The work I do as a resource sharing librarian is the literal fulfillment of our mission to Connect. My entire career as a librarian has focused on providing our users with access to the information resources they need to be successful in their teaching, research, and learning. I am, in fact, a self-proclaimed librarian devoted to resource sharing. As such, my interest in open access is no surprise. Though some have heralded open access as the death knell of our oldest resource sharing service, interlibrary loan (ILL), I believe it enhances my ability to connect University Library’s users to information. Open access isn’t the end of resource sharing; it is resource sharing.
The amount of information available is overwhelming, and it can be difficult for people to locate what they need even if it is open access. Resource sharing practitioners have a role to play in helping library users navigate this vast universe of possible sources. If we are thoughtful in our approach, we have the opportunity to capture the benefits of open access for our ILL operations and to educate our users about the changing nature of scholarly publishing. Facilitating discovery of open access materials should be one more tool in the resource sharing toolbox.
To learn more about the intersections of open access and interlibrary loan, check out Tina’s works on the topic in IUPUI ScholarWorks.