Open Access

Open Access Content Within The Library Catalog

Open access content that is discoverable through OneSearch or listed on the Databases A-Z page is evaluated by librarians and staff to verify that resources:

• are user friendly to navigate;
• do not put user privacy at risk by requiring users to create an account or share personal information to gain access;
• are available from a stable provider that is trusted to maintain access;
• are available from a reputable source that provides quality content;
• are available as open in their entirety and not just sections or portions of content;
• and are made significantly more discoverable with their addition to OneSearch or the Databases A-Z page

If you have content you think should be considered, please contact your subject librarian.

Access Principles in Libraries Licensing

In addition to the creation of open access content, the University Libraries seeks to address how pay-for-use content can be used through contract agreements. Many library agreements for electronic resources currently limit who can access content and how the content can be used. One document that guides UT Libraries’ path towards removing barriers and allowing more and better use of scholarly content for the benefit of students, researchers, and the community is The ASERL 11: Recommended Principles and Terms for Electronic Resource Agreements.

Where to Find Open Access Content

There are several databases, websites, and repositories that house open access content, including OneSearch. Several of these resources are listed below:

• Unpaywall
  • "An open database of 50,921,272 free scholarly articles."
• Open Access Button
  • A search engine that allows users to avoid paywalls and/or request access to research.
• Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Search the DOAJ to find open access journals and articles from around the world.
• Directory of Open Access Books
  • Search for over 86,500 open access books.
• TRACE
  • UTK's institutional repository that houses articles, theses, dissertations, data, and other projects of our researchers.
• Open Educational Resources Guide
  • Visit our library OER guide to find OERs online.
• Public Domain Content
  • Visit our library Copyright guide to find public domain collections, images, videos, and audio.
• University Press Library Open 
  • "University Press Library Open (UPLOpen) is a collection of open access scholarship from many of the world's most prestigious academic presses with a central focus on achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)."
• Punctum Books
  • Open access books from Punctum Books publisher.
• Open Library of Humanities
  • "The Open Library of Humanities is an award-winning open-access publisher of internationally leading academic scholarship."
• OpenDOAR
  • Directory of open repositories.