SPARC and the World Bank will co-host the official kickoff event for International Open Access Week 2014, an annual opportunity for the academic and research community to continue to learn about the potential benefits of Open Access, to share what they’ve learned with colleagues, and to help inspire wider participation in helping to make Open Access a new norm in scholarship and research.

The event will be held at the headquarters of the World Bank in Washington, DC with a live webcast for online participation around the world. The program will focus on this year’s theme of “Generation Open.” Speakers will discuss the importance of students and early career researchers in the transition to Open Access and explore how changes in scholarly publishing affect scholars and researchers at different stages of their careers.

We will watch the webcast and follow with some discussion of Open Access Week here at UCLA, highlighting what you can do to bring attention to these important issues. We’ll also have t-shirts, buttons, and lots of informational materials to help you spread the word throughout the week.