Open Access Button Info Sheet

A Student Initiative to Put Denied Access to Research on the Map

What is the button?
♦ A browser based tool that can map who is denied access to research
♦ The button creates a real time, worldwide, interactive picture of the problem. Using social media will make this problem visible to the world. Lastly, we help the person gain access to the research they have been denied access to or similar research.

[caption id=”attachment_293" align=”alignnone” width=”640"]

New users reported 190 paywalls hit within the first 24 hours after the beta launch of the Open Access Button.[/caption]

The story so far
♦ Two students wanted to engage with the scholarly publishing system that we will inherit
♦ Developed by a volunteer team of programmers and designers
♦ Launched at Berlin 11 Student and Early Stage Researcher Conference
♦ The button received coverage in the news, on blogs, and on social media. Highlights include coverage in The Guardian, the Creative Commons blog, and 500+ people were tweeting positively about the button.

The future and how you can help
♦ A new team will take forward the button’s development introducing support for features such as institutional library accounts. We’ll be looking for funding to do this.
♦ Support the button by engaging with consultation on what the next version of the button should do, help provide funding, and publicity for the button.
♦ Use the Button to track when you are denied access to research
♦ Support other student led initiatives

More info and contact
Get the button at openaccessbutton.org and read the blog at blog.openaccessbutton.org.
Full Press release can be found here.
Additional information can be found in the FAQ.
Contact the team: openaccessbutton@medsin.org