SPARC
@sparcopen
SPARC is a nonprofit advocacy organization that supports open systems for research and education that enable everyone, everywhere to access, contribute to, and benefit from the knowledge that shapes our world.
Check out & share our #OAWeek video! International #OpenAccess Week is coming up Oct 19-25, 2026.
Happening today! It's not too late to sign up for the US Repository Network community call on electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) Monday, June 29 @ noon ET. Register here: sparcopen-org.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
The 2026 #OAWeek theme, "The Cost of Knowledge," focuses on the financial, human & environmental costs of creating, sharing & sustaining knowledge—particularly when they are driven by private rather than public interests. Go to the #OpenAccess Week website to learn more. www.openaccessweek.org
As you prepare for #OAWeek 2026, look through the many free resources to download & publicize your events. Graphics are now available in Canva templates, along with other formats. Help us get the word out about this year's theme: "The Cost of Knowledge." www.openaccessweek.org
"The Cost of Knowledge" is the theme for #OAWeek 2026! The costs to access and share knowledge continue to increase, often dramatically. Why? Who benefits? Learn more and find graphics in a variety of languages to promote your #OpenAccess Week events (Oct. 19-25). www.openaccessweek.org
The theme for #OAWeek 2026 is "The Cost of Knowledge." Increasing consolidation & commercial control over knowledge comes at a cost. This year’s theme will reckon with that cost and catalyze action toward reclaiming control of these systems meant to serve the public interest. www.openaccessweek.org
WisTech Open by the numbers: 30+ textbooks developed 1,000+ project collaborators 95K Wisconsin students reached $16M+ student savings. #OpenEducation is making an impact! Read how Wisconsin meets the moment with #OER for workforce training in our news story here: sparcopen.org/news/2026/wi...
We are grateful to US Rep. Zoe Lofgren @lofgren.house.gov for recognizing SPARC as "thoughtful advocates of open access" & entering our letter into the Congressional Record. Our core message: #OpenAccess is a remedy for publishing dysfunction — not its cause. Read here: sparcopen.org/wp-content/u...
The USDA issued its updated public access policy, effective April 7, 2026. It requires immediate access to agency-funded publications and supporting data. See full publication and data management policy details: researchsharing.sparcopen.org
Countdown to International #OpenAccess Week six months from now: October 19-25, 2026! Look for announcements coming up soon about the theme and resources on the website for #OAWeek 2026 here: www.openaccessweek.org
International #OpenAccess Week is an opportunity to join together, take action & raise awareness of the benefits of openly sharing knowledge. Think ahead for how you are going to celebrate #OAWeek Oct. 19-25, 2026! www.openaccessweek.org
Start planning for the next International #OAWeek happening Oct. 19-25, 2026! See our series of profiles of organizations & projects advancing #OpenAccess here: www.openaccessweek.org/theme-profiles www.openaccessweek.org
Colorado is an #OpenEducation leader! With a track record of saving students $$$ millions, the state is considering funding the #OER program for 5 more years. Bill summary here: leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1.... More on the state's #OpenEd success in SPARC impact story: sparcopen.org/impact-story...
Scientific findings will be shared with the public sooner in 2026, thanks to funders including the Howard Hughes Medical Institute @hhmi-science.bsky.social. HHMI's Immediate Access to Research Policy went into effect on Jan. 1, 2026. Details here: hhmicdn.blob.core.windows.net/policies/Imm...
Greetings from the SPARC Steering Committee & SPARC team, together IRL for our annual meeting! We extended a warm welcome to those new to the committee & a fond farewell to our departing members. We are so thankful for their guidance, expertise & time. sparcopen.org/people/#steer
It was our honor & pleasure to end 2025 together w/ SPARC members in DC today. The support you’ve shown to one another & our team has sustained us in this challenging year. We've all come out stronger & are committed to continuing our work to advance open practices & be catalysts for change in 2026!
Tune in tomorrow, Dec. 4, at 1pm ET to hear SPARC's @hjoseph.bsky.social chat w/ author Samuel Moore about Publishing Beyond the Market, a book about a more ethical, non-commercial approach to #OpenAccess publishing. Sign up for the free @archive.org event here: www.eventbrite.com/e/book-talk-...
Check out our recap of #OpenEd25! Takeaways from students, researchers, professors & administrators on what inspired them connecting w/ the #OpenEducation community last month in Denver. Save the date for virtual #OpenEd26 Oct 27-29, 2026. sparcopen.org/news/2025/op...
Find out about exciting events that took place during #OAweek 2025 (sparcopen.org/news/2025/in...) & organizations supporting #OpenAccess in our series of profiles (www.openaccessweek.org/theme-profiles). Glad to highlight the good work of Anna Liakopoulou at IFMSA & others in advancing open.
Who Owns Our Knowledge? We asked thought leaders around the world how the #OAweek theme resonates with their work. Thanks to Angela Holzer & Michaela Bilic-Merdes from the German Research Foundation for sharing their insights. Learn more in our profile here: www.openaccessweek.org/theme-profil...
Louisiana is leveraging #OER to help boost student success and make college more affordable. Check out our impact story to see how investments in #OpenEducationalResources are paying off. sparcopen.org/impact-story...
Check out the new International Repository Directory (IRD)! Managed by @coar-repositories.bsky.social, it's a valuable source of info on types & versions of platforms in use, scope of repository collections, geographic location, institutional affiliations & more. ird.coar-repositories.org?lang=en
One last reminder... Sr. Policy Fellow applications are due in today, April 15. Help lead SPARC's efforts in tracking, shaping & advancing public access policies related to PIDs & metadata standards for federally funded research. Job description & details here: sparcopen.org/who-we-are/c...