Class recorded March 16, 2023

In 2011, 24 year-old Aaron Swartz, a political activist and programmer, was charged with federal crimes for publicly distributing academic research. Swartz faced a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison, and on January 11, 2013, Aaron took his own life while charges were pending. Aaron supported open access - the idea that scientific information and other research should be publicly available. Since Aaron’s death, open access has evolved, with federally funded institutions acting to make their research more available. However, many experts still cite sound reasons for continuing to limit access to publicly-funded research. Join this conversation discussing open access, the Biden Administration’s new commitment to making federally funded research more available, and the consequences for stakeholders. 

Class covers:

• The pros and cons of open access to publicly funded research – including reasons why complete open access may not serve the public good  
• How the public can access federally funded research and data
• How recent policy decisions and commitments will impact access to research-generating institutions
• The consequences of immediate access for publishers and other interested stakeholders, including holders of intellectual property rights
• The legal liabilities that universities and publicly funded entities could face under a more robust open access policy

 
Presented by: 

Mario Biagioli, Distinguished Professor of Law and Communication, UCLA Law; 

Heather Joseph, Executive Director, Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC); 

Michael Ladisch, Scholarly Communications Officer, UC Davis Library.

Registration fee: FREE

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice:
LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service. The information presented in this program is not legal advice and is provided solely as an educational service to our patrons. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.