Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Abstract
Background: Open Access, a novel model of publishing is one among the surprises and delights of the digital age. It is a paradigm shift in the academic society which hammered up the traditional publishing and unlatched the doors of knowledge to reader community. One of the main drives of open access is to make academic research more easily available and maximum exploitation of resources.
Objectives: This study aims to elucidate how well that teaching community working in higher education institutions in Tamil Nadu, endorses for the open access publishing model. The study elucidates their preferences on open access publishing and their perceptions about the opportunities and threats in open access publishing.
Methods: Survey design was used to conduct the study and a structured questionnaire is used to collect data. Convenience sampling method is adopted for the study. Data collected were organized in Excel and analyzed by using SPSS PASW 18. Cronbach’s alpha is used to check the internal reliability of the opportunity and threats items. Frequencies and percentages were used to identify the popular publishing model, opportunity and threat. ANOVA and t-test were used to check the statistical relationship between variables.
Results: A total of 121 teaching staffs from five higher education institutions in Tamil Nadu were enrolled in the study. Majority of the prefer Open Access publishing model over the other commercial and hybrid publication models. Around 66.1% of teaching staff responded that Open Access is their first choice of publishing. Around 45.5% of teaching staff abide if their subscribed commercial access publisher moves to hybrid access at some point. 51.2% of teaching abide if their subscribed commercial access publisher moves to complete open access at some point. The top most opportunity item as denoted by the teaching staff was New database of information are emerging and in development (71.1%). The top three threat items as denoted by the teaching staff was Open Access is still evolving to become sustainable (66.1%). Opportunity has a significant statistical relationship with No. of OA Journals publications.
Conclusion: The study results will help the institutions, higher education system, librarians, information service providers, open access publishers & policy makers and government to intensify their efforts in promoting and nurturing open access publishing model.