Accessing Humanities Research in a Digital Environment

Contract law co-exists with copyright law in the publishing world often blurring the lines between authors and publishers in the dissemination of scholarly research. Technology has further obscured the traditional publishing model creating complications for academics as uncertainties about access to their published research arise. The goal of authors in publishing their scholarly research is to make an impact, to contribute to the global discussion and to disseminate knowledge to others. Making research available through open access (OA) may assist with the increased circulation of research, thereby potentially increasing its impact. OA research is seemingly more accepted and developed as a publishing model in science, technology and medicine, but evidence suggests less so in the humanities. The development of digital humanities represents a potential means by which OA may become more widely accepted as a publishing model in the humanities in general. This paper explores the role of open access in scholarly publication, and its influence on publishing contracts and the copyright of authors.