UWSP Libraries

The University Libraries is excited to join the global celebration of Open Access Week 2025 , taking place October 20–26. Established by SPARC (the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition) and driven by student advocates, Open Access Week promotes the idea that research should be freely accessible to everyone. This international event encourages collaboration, amplifies the visibility of scholarship, and empowers scholars to use and share research more widely. This year’s theme, “Who Owns Our Knowledge?”, poses an important question for higher education and research communities. In a time of rapid change, it challenges us to reflect on how knowledge is created, shared, and valued—and to consider whose voices are being heard and whose are left out. It’s an opportunity to think critically about ownership, access, and equity in the global information landscape. At UW–Stevens Point, we are proud to support open access publishing and to participate in transformative agreem...

Today kicks off Banned Books Week , an annual event started more than 40 years ago in response to a sudden surge in book challenges in libraries, schools, and bookstores.  This year’s theme — “Censorship is so 1984” — draws inspiration from George Orwell’s 1984 , a timeless warning about the dangers of censorship. The message is clear: the right to read belongs to everyone. Why It Matters Banned Books Week began in 1982, when the number of book challenges sharply increased across the U.S. Since then, libraries, educators, publishers, and readers have joined together to celebrate the freedom to read and to resist efforts to restrict access to diverse stories and ideas. The American Library Association (ALA) continues to document a rise in book challenges and removals — particularly those targeting materials by or about LGBTQ+ people and people of color. These trends underscore why this week is more relevant than ever. How You Can Get Involved Here are a few ways to stand up f...