Federal Research Public Access Act

Step 1: Create a public access policy for NIH funded research.

Step 2: Create a public access policy for all government funded research.

Nice.  Good job NIH.  Looks like the other agencies want to come on board.  The Federal Research Public Access Act was introduced on June 25th.  This legislation would require that federal agencies with an extramural research budget of $100 million or more to institute a public access policy that would ask researchers to deposit a final manuscript of an accepted peer-reviewed article into a stable digital repository of choice that allows free, online access to readers no later than 6 months after publication in the journal, itself.

Get the details at The Alliance for Taxpayer Access.  ATA has all the necessary links for you to contact Congress and indicate your support.  While you’re at it, also tell them that you oppose Conyer’s H.R.801 Fair Copyright in Research Works Act which seeks to repeal the NIH Public Access policy (I know, what the hey?!!!).

Warning: Soapbox Rant (again)
C’mon.  Let’s continue to do the right thing here folks.  We have basic rights. Access to information is one of them.  To create a culture where only people with the right amount of money get to have information is ignorant and ultimately detrimental to society.  I’m a librarian and proud of it because we empower people through the fundamental right of information access so that they can educate themselves on their own terms.

It doesn’t take much to let your voice be heard.  Citizenship carries responsibility.  Be a part of the democracy we fought so hard to create.