Peter Suber (2012) introduces his readers to the concept of open access (OA) in his book titled Open Access. He argues why it is a better way of sharing knowledge, especially as it relates to scholarly peer-reviewed journal articles.

Because of the internet and author consent, OA is available free and online for readers who need research. Suber adds that OA is not held to most copyright and licensing constraints, which helps distribute knowledge quicker than conventional methods.

One drawback of OA is that many people still misunderstand it. However, Suber clarifies what OA is and is not in his book. Then, he presents a case why it is beneficial to researchers, authors, publishers, and other groups and why we need to increase it.

If this topic interests you, please feel free to read my full book review.