— by the Weave Editorial Board
As the cost of subscriptions to research publications continues to climb and library budgets continue to contract, many readers are losing access to professional literature because they are not affiliated with a research institution or are at an institution that can no longer afford these rising costs. Recent concerns about the proliferation of misinformation only underline the importance of widespread access to new research, so that individuals have the ability to verify claims for themselves. Open access publications play a central role in ensuring access to accurate information and the latest research, and they provide opportunities to participate in the scholarly conversation on equal footing.
Since its debut in 2014, Weave: Journal of Library User Experience has been a diamond open access journal because we believe it is important for all library user experience (UX) practitioners to have access to high-quality research. This includes readers who are students, those who work at public or special libraries with limited budgets for professional development resources, and researchers who are not currently working in libraries. We surveyed our readers in the fall of 2025 about their professional interests, activities, and concerns. Many respondents reported that budgetary constraints were a major impediment, particularly as it pertains to journal access and other venues for learning about new information. We heard from some respondents that their libraries don't subscribe to library UX journals, and that they appreciate that Weave offers relevant articles they can read for free.
But our commitment to diamond open access does come with challenges. As a journal that is always free for authors and readers alike, we have had difficulty over the years raising even the modest funds necessary to support our annual bills for web hosting through Michigan Publishing, and we haven’t been able to debut new programs. These are realities that face many open access publications, which is why so many resort to charging a fee to publish research. However, this approach creates barriers at a different point in the process, preventing emerging researchers, marginalized scholars, and those working at smaller institutions from sharing their work widely.
That is what makes Lyrasis’ Open Access Community Investment Program (OACIP) such a critical and impactful program. With access to funding through OACIP, Weave will be able to continue as a free and open access resource for the library UX community. Additional funding would allow us to launch new programs including paid internships for graduate students to support their entry into the profession and offer programming to build community among library UX practitioners. Moreover, by continuing as a free and open access publication, we will guarantee that everyone with an interest in library UX is able to share their work and learn from their peers, whether they work at a small public library without professional subscriptions or at a well-resourced research institution. This levels the playing field for readers and researchers while helping best practices to spread far and wide.
By supporting publications through OACIP, you and your institution are making an invaluable contribution to the scholarly ecosystem. Through a commitment to open access, we can ensure that practitioners, researchers, and students have access to the latest research now and in the future.
About OACIP
Lyrasis launched OACIP in 2020 to provide a community-driven framework and the necessary administrative infrastructure to enable libraries and other organizations to invest directly in high quality Diamond Open Access journals. The 2025-2026 cycle is currently underway, and it will run through July 31, 2026. Lyrasis is seeking three-year funding commitments to Weave and the eight other journals in this year’s cohort. Learn more about OACIP at lyrasis.org/oacip.