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Obama White House expands access to federally funded research Obama White House expands access to federally funded research
(7 months later)
The White House has announced that is expanding public access to federally-funded research. The move was heralded as a "landmark" by open-access advocates.The White House has announced that is expanding public access to federally-funded research. The move was heralded as a "landmark" by open-access advocates.
A new directive issued on Friday states that federal agencies which spend more than $100m in research and development must develop a way to make the results of such federally-funded research publicly available within one year of publication. This is similar to the National Institute of Health's policy, which requires its research to be publicly available a year after it is published.A new directive issued on Friday states that federal agencies which spend more than $100m in research and development must develop a way to make the results of such federally-funded research publicly available within one year of publication. This is similar to the National Institute of Health's policy, which requires its research to be publicly available a year after it is published.
"I think at the core of this executive order is a real understanding by the administration of the value of enhancing access to scientific information," said Kenneth Crews, director of Columbia University's copyright advisory office."I think at the core of this executive order is a real understanding by the administration of the value of enhancing access to scientific information," said Kenneth Crews, director of Columbia University's copyright advisory office.
The government invests billions of dollars in research and Crews said the directive will have major benefits for researchers and regular citizens. "Most of the important research today in the US is the result of federal funding," he said. "The taxpayers definitely have an interest in having access to it."The government invests billions of dollars in research and Crews said the directive will have major benefits for researchers and regular citizens. "Most of the important research today in the US is the result of federal funding," he said. "The taxpayers definitely have an interest in having access to it."
Public support for open-access issues increased after the open-internet advocate Aaron Swartz killed himself in January. At the time of his death, Swartz was facing up to 35 years in prison and a $1m fine, for downloading academic journal articles from the JSTOR database.Public support for open-access issues increased after the open-internet advocate Aaron Swartz killed himself in January. At the time of his death, Swartz was facing up to 35 years in prison and a $1m fine, for downloading academic journal articles from the JSTOR database.
Open-access advocates have campaigned for legislation for nearly a decade. FASTR, a bill that would require federal agencies to make research public within six months of the publication date, was reintroduced in Congress last week.Open-access advocates have campaigned for legislation for nearly a decade. FASTR, a bill that would require federal agencies to make research public within six months of the publication date, was reintroduced in Congress last week.
"We're happy to see the Obama administration take some direct action to move it forward more quickly than would have been feasible had it moved through the congressional process," Crews said."We're happy to see the Obama administration take some direct action to move it forward more quickly than would have been feasible had it moved through the congressional process," Crews said.
The White House said it has been looking into the issue for some time, and that an online petition on its We The People site was one of many factors that influenced the administration's decision.The White House said it has been looking into the issue for some time, and that an online petition on its We The People site was one of many factors that influenced the administration's decision.
A White House statement said: "The final policy reflects substantial inputs from scientists and scientific organizations, publishers, members of Congress, and other members of the public – over 65 thousand of whom recently signed a We the People petition asking for expanded public access to the results of taxpayer-funded research."A White House statement said: "The final policy reflects substantial inputs from scientists and scientific organizations, publishers, members of Congress, and other members of the public – over 65 thousand of whom recently signed a We the People petition asking for expanded public access to the results of taxpayer-funded research."
Nancy Sims, a copyright librarian at the University of Minnesota and a lawyer, has been hoping for a directive that applies to all federal agencies for several years. "This is definitely something that the University of Minnesota libraries, and I think a lot of research libraries, have been working towards for a long time and its great to see action at the White House level," she said.Nancy Sims, a copyright librarian at the University of Minnesota and a lawyer, has been hoping for a directive that applies to all federal agencies for several years. "This is definitely something that the University of Minnesota libraries, and I think a lot of research libraries, have been working towards for a long time and its great to see action at the White House level," she said.
She said the Swartz case had added momentum to the open-access campaign. "I think that made the research-access question of greater interest to people who would not have been paying attention otherwise and to some politically active people who would not have been paying attention otherwise," she said.She said the Swartz case had added momentum to the open-access campaign. "I think that made the research-access question of greater interest to people who would not have been paying attention otherwise and to some politically active people who would not have been paying attention otherwise," she said.
Heather Joseph, executive director of SPARC, a group that works to broaden public access to scholarly research, said in a statement that the directive was a "watershed moment".Heather Joseph, executive director of SPARC, a group that works to broaden public access to scholarly research, said in a statement that the directive was a "watershed moment".
"The directive will accelerate scientific discovery, improve education, and empower entrepreneurs to translate research into commercial ventures and jobs," Joseph said. "It's good for our nation, our economy, and our future.""The directive will accelerate scientific discovery, improve education, and empower entrepreneurs to translate research into commercial ventures and jobs," Joseph said. "It's good for our nation, our economy, and our future."
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