UI Libraries once again celebrates international Open Access Week (Oct. 19-23, 2026), where we showcase local efforts to make UI research freely open and accessible. This year’s theme, “The Cost of Knowledge,” prompts us to reflect on the state of academic publishing, the many layers of cost imposed by commercial publishers, and solutions we can pursue to mitigate these costs.
If you publish regularly, you’ve likely encountered open access fees—often thousands of dollars—to publish a single journal article open access through a commercial academic publisher. These fees are collected directly from authors, who may or may not have grant funding earmarked for such fees. Many authors are presented with an unfortunate choice: incur substantial debt to make their articles freely available or keep their work behind a paywall.
Luckily, this isn’t the only way. Research authors can make strategic choices about how and where they publish, archive, and disseminate their work.
- Self-archive your work (Green OA): Rather than rely on publishers to make your research open access, you can post a version of your article in an open repository, such as Iowa Research Online. Publisher policies vary regarding what can and cannot be posted, so check the Open Policy Finder to find out more about what particular publishers allow.
- Publish in a journal without open access fees (Diamond OA): Did you know that most academic journals don’t charge open access or subscription fees? The majority of academic journals are published with a shoestring budget, using university infrastructure and faculty expertise. These journals might not always perform as well against commercial publisher metrics, but many titles are just as prestigious and widely read as their commercial counterparts. Check out the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) to find fee-free OA titles.
- Read and publish agreements: The University of Iowa has signed several agreements with commercial publishers to bundle open access and subscription costs under a single fee, paid by UI Libraries. This makes OA publishing free to local authors. Check out our list of current agreements to see if your publisher is covered.
Stop by the Main Library Learning Commons during the week of Oct. 19 to learn more about the hidden costs of academic publishing. Have more questions? Contact the Research Commons for questions about open access.