Open Access and the ASPP: Policy Position
abernard102@gmail.com 2015-05-27
Summary:
"In October 2013, the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences embarked on a multi-year
project to develop an Open Access policy for the Awards to Scholarly Publications Program (ASPP). The
initial phase focused on research and information gathering, including a scan of international and
Canadian policy and practice, and informal discussions with several groups from Canada and around the
world. The next phase focused on drafting a policy position followed by an open consultation period,
which took place between May and September 2014. The responses received during the consultation
period were synthesized, analyzed, and informed the policy.
This document describes the current policy as of April 1, 2015. The policy is based on the following
principles:
• The Federation supports Open Access; and
• A dynamic Canadian scholarly publishing sector continues to be of utmost importance to the
dissemination of Canadian research ... Most Open Access discussions to date, both in Canada and internationally, have focused on academic
journals. For example, in Canada the Tri-Councils, comprised of the Canadian Institutes of Health
Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Social Sciences and
Humanities Research Council, released an Open Access policy for the dissemination of Tri-Council
funded research in journal articles on February 27, 2015.2
The discussion on Open Access and journals is important, but it is not sufficient to inform the discussion
on Open Access for scholarly books. Therefore, as part of the research phase of its policy development
project, the Federation commissioned a thorough review of international policy and practice of Open
Access for monographs. (See Appendix for the report.) This review clearly shows a growing trend
worldwide to implement Open Access for monographs whose research and/or publication is supported
by public funding.
Based on the Federation’s commitment to Open Access and the clear direction of international policy
and practice towards Open Access for scholarly books benefiting from public funds, it is the Federation’s
position that it is desirable to facilitate Open Access for ASPP-funded books.
The Federation believes this would improve access to Canadian scholarship published in the form of
monographs, benefiting i) authors whose research will be disseminated more broadly, ii) Canadian,
international and independent scholars who will be able to consult Canadian scholarship more easily,
and iii) the broader public who will gain access to a broad range of scholarly works that directly address
the social, cultural and intellectual debates affecting Canada ..."