Open access (OA) refers to information that is digital, online, free of charge, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions. This can include journals, books, databases, and more.

While OA is a newer form of scholarly publishing, many OA journals comply with peer-review processes and maintain high publishing standards.

Adapted from the webinar "A Predatory Primer: What Every Librarian Should Know about Problem Publishers," with speakers Nicole Webber and Stephanie Wiegand. ACRL US PDC, May 2021.