Criss Library to Celebrate International Open Access Week with Open Access Showcase

Criss Library invites the University of Nebraska at Omaha community to celebrate International Open Access Week(October 19 - October 25) at the Open Access Showcase on Wednesday, October 21 from 2 P.M. - 4P.M.. The event will bring together faculty, staff, and students to explore how open access is transforming the way research, teaching, and scholarship are shared with the world. Join us as we celebrate the power of open scholarship and the many ways open access is helping research and education reach farther than ever before.

Open access removes barriers to scholarly information, making research freely available to anyone with an internet connection. By increasing the visibility and accessibility of scholarship, open access helps amplify research impact, encourages collaboration, and supports innovation both within higher education and beyond.

The showcase will feature a keynote presentation from Susan Reay, Director of the Grace Abbott School of Social Work, whose work demonstrates the value of open scholarship. Attendees will also hear from a panel of faculty members who have published their work in DigitalCommons@UNO, the university's institutional repository, and incorporated Open Educational Resources (OER) into their teaching. Panelists will share their experiences, discuss the benefits of making scholarship openly available, and offer practical insights for colleagues interested in exploring open access publishing or adopting openly licensed educational materials.

In addition to faculty presentations, the event will recognize members of the UNO community whose contributions to open scholarship have made a significant impact. Awards will honor outstanding achievements in areas such as open access publishing, use of the institutional repository, and contributions to open education.

Open access is about more than providing free access to research. It's about expanding the reach of scholarship, increasing opportunities for collaboration, and ensuring that the knowledge created at UNO can benefit researchers, educators, practitioners, and communities around the world.

Through services such as DigitalCommons@UNO, Criss Library partners with faculty to preserve and showcase their scholarly and creative works while increasing their visibility to readers across the globe. The library pays for agreements with publishers that allow UNO authors to publish open access at no or reduced cost. The library also supports faculty interested in adopting, creating, and sharing Open Educational Resources, helping reduce textbook costs while improving access to high-quality learning materials for students.

Whether you are an experienced open access author, curious about publishing your work more broadly, or interested in learning about affordable course materials, the Open Access Showcase offers an opportunity to connect with colleagues, celebrate faculty achievements, and discover how Criss Library can support your scholarly goals.

About Criss Library

The Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library fulfills the UNO mission through dynamic services, highly qualified and adaptive personnel, unique and extensive collections, and accessible learning spaces and environments. With its location on UNO’s Dodge Campus, Criss Library provides UNO students, faculty and staff, and the Omaha community with the resources and materials needed to excel academically and professionally.