For help locating resources, using the library, or to request a research consultation, try our Ask Us service.
Open Access to Everything Else
The Open Access movement is growing in momentum both nationally and internationally. It is increasingly recognized that the value, use and application of intellectual works increases the more broadly they are available to be considered, shared, and used by others both within the research community, industry and society as a whole.
Here are a sample of useful links to Open Access initiatives in other areas of research, scholarship, education and government, both in Canada and internationally.
Open Data
"Open data is data that can be freely used, reused and redistributed by anyone - subject only, at most, to the requirement to attribute and sharealike". Open Data Handbook.
- Government of Canada's Open Data Portal
- Open Data Handbook: this handbook discusses the legal, social and technical aspects of open data as well as – why to go open, what open is, and how to make your data open.
- Open Government Canada: find, download and use Government of Canada data.
- Ontario Open Data: access the Ontario Open Data Catalogue of open data.
- Scholars Portal Dataverse: the Scholars Portal Dataverse network is a repository for research data collected by individuals and organizations associated with Ontario Universities. See: Queen's University Dataverse
- Open Data (U.S. Government)
- Open Data (U.K. Government)
- International Open Data Sites
- European Union Open Data Portal: a portal of useful resources on open data.
Research Data Management
- Research Data Management at Queen's University: this comprehensive service includes resources on writing a data management plan, data metadata and citation, research data repositories and archives, funding agency guidelines on open research data.
Guides by Queen's University Library
Open Textbooks
Open textbook is a textbook licensed under an open copyright license, and made available online to be freely used by students, teachers and members of the public. Many open textbooks are distributed in either print, e-book, or audio formats that may be downloaded or purchased at little or no cost.
Open Government
"Open government is the governing doctrine which holds that citizens have the right to access the documents and proceedings of the government to allow for effective public oversight. In its broadest construction it opposes reason of state and other considerations, which have tended to legitimize extensive state secrecy". Wikipedia.
- Open Government Canada
- Canada's Action Plan on Open Government 2014-16
- Open Data (U.S. Government)
- Open Data (U.K. Government)
Open Educational Resources (OERs)
"Open Educational Resources (OERs) are any type of educational materials that are in the public domain or introduced with an open license. The nature of these open materials means that anyone can legally and freely copy, use, adapt and re-share them". UNESCO.
About OERs
- What are OERs: UNESCO Definition
- Open Education Resources - JISC infokit
- Open Education - SPARC: the why, what and how of OERs.
Find Open Educational Resources
- Open Educational Resources (OER): Resource Roundup
- Find OER - Open Professionals Education Network
- OER Commons: Worldwide learning network of shared teaching and learning materials made freely available online.
Open Science
"Open science is the movement to make scientific research, data and dissemination accessible to all levels of an inquiring society, amateur or professional". Wikipedia.
- Open Science (definition)
- F1000 Guide to Open Science Publishing: A short guide for researchers, students and anyone interested in the increasingly open nature of scientific research and publishing.