Many institutions that have implemented Open-access Funds are leveraging existing communication channels to promote this opportunity within their authoring communities. Subject specialists who are already in regular contact with specific departments can be used to disseminate Fund information to their constituents. This requires bringing the subject specialists up to speed, of course. Provided they are comfortable with the program and its benefits, they can be an effective marketing force for the Fund. Some institutions have opted to convene formal meetings between subject specialists and key members of the faculty and administration. Other institutions rely on the informal lines of discussion that exist between the subject specialist and his/her department.
To the extent that the library is in communication with faculty regarding resource allocation and scholarly communication issues, an Open-access Fund fits neatly into these discussions. For example, schools that have participated in the annual Open Access Week or convened ad hoc Open Access events have used these as opportunities to promote the Fund. As another example, libraries that maintain a scholarly communication blog have regular used that forum to highlight the Fund.
The library website can also be easily adapted to accommodate information about the Fund. Many institutions have created Open Access or scholarly communication resource pages. This is a logical home for background about the Fund, policy details, downloadable forms, and frequently asked questions. The library website can then be promoted by subject specialists and other marketing the Fund as a place to go for additional details.
Regardless of the medium, it may be necessary to start at a very basic level when promoting your Fund. Many faculty members may have only rudimentary knowledge of Open Access and the problems that sparked the establishment of the OA model. Several institutions with established Funds have expressed regret that they assumed too high a level of understanding of the driving scholarly communication issues among their faculty. To avoid this pitfall, make sure to contextualize your Fund pitch and be prepared to educate potential participants on the basics of the underlying factors. Note also that the conversation may differ across disciplines. The exposure that bioscientists have to open-access journals compared to humanists, for example, is likely to be quite different. Attune the marketing message to the specific audience at hand.
On any campus and in any discipline, there is a limit to how much you can push your faculty to embrace Open Access generally. The desire to promote OA adoption must be balanced against the need to play a supportive role in your faculty’s publishing activities, whatever those may be. In certain instances, Open Access will simply not be a viable first-choice option to authors. While the library cannot force authors to publish in certain journals, you can inform and guide their choices. The Fund, according to those with established programs, can be a useful tool to make the adoption of Open Access more attractive and viable as a publication outcome.