Open access is a practice by which works are distributed immediately online, free of access charges. The main types of works distributed by these practices are peer reviewed research literature. Open access allows one to access and read the work without having to pay for that access. Open access journals may or may not charge fees called article processing charges (APCs). These APCs can be expensive and usually only charged after the article is peer reviewed and accepted for publication.
Authors of open access works often apply a Creative Commons License to allow others to use their works in specific ways enabling others to redistribute or make transformative works.
For more information, consult the following resources:
open access network glossary
What does Open Access Mean?
