Open Access Alchemy - An interactive card game

Open Access Alchemy is an interactive card game designed to help academics and research staff navigate the complexities of open-access publishing. Created by librarians at Leeds Beckett University in collaboration with licensing experts from Springer Nature, the game provides an engaging, hands-on approach to understanding different Open Access models, publishing choices, and real-world challenges researchers face in scholarly communication. In this game, players take on the role of wizards competing to publish their arcane research. Throughout a series of rounds, they must strategise, manage publishing costs, and decide where to submit their work while encountering real-world-inspired scenarios that impact their journey. The game encourages discussion, problem-solving, and reflection on the intricacies of publishing open-access, making it a valuable tool for training and workshops.