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International Open Access Week, October 19–25, 2026, invites us to consider that question. This year's theme, "The Cost of Knowledge," challenges us to examine the rising costs of accessing and sharing research, who bears those costs, and how they affect the availability of scholarly information.
While open access removes paywalls for readers, publishing research openly can still be expensive. Many academic publishers charge authors what is called an Article Processing Charge (APC) ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars per article. These fees can create significant barriers for researchers without institutional funding or grant support.
Supporting Open Access at UWSP
Although UWSP Libraries does not directly fund APCs, we participate in what is called Read and Publish Agreements with Wiley, Springer, Cambridge, and the American Chemical Society (ACS). These publishers cover publishing fees for eligible UWSP corresponding authors.
These agreements make a huge difference. Since 2022, UWSP faculty have published 17 open access articles through our Wiley agreement alone, representing more than $61,000 in publishing support. Additionally, six articles published through participating agreements represent $21,180 in APCs covered, including publications in the Journal of Forestry and ACS Organic & Inorganic Au.
Open access makes knowledge available to everyone.
Interested in learning more? Visit our Open Access and Scholarly Communication Guide for information about publishing agreements, open access options, institutional repositories like MINDS@UW, and more. Please contact us directly if you'd like to learn more and discuss options for your research.