The Public Access Working Group formed by the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) was developed in response to continuing federal directives, especially the 2013 OSTP memo, and evolving discussions among libraries, publishers, and other stakeholders regarding public access to research outputs. Key concerns driving the group's work include compliance with public access mandates, sustainability of data and publication repositories, harmonization of institutional and federal policies, funding for repository maintenance, and the increasing importance and complexity of complying with data-sharing requirements.
The group’s mission involves mapping the public access landscape—identifying the roles and activities of federal agencies, universities, publishers, and non-profits—framing challenges and opportunities for member institutions, and developing consensus-based principles and best practices. Ongoing responsibilities include advising academic and policy leaders, facilitating institutional compliance, and engaging with key stakeholders to shape future policies. Major issues have been pinpointed around publications, data management and costs, compliance, faculty engagement, and evolving publishing models. Upcoming activities include a workshop to gather diverse perspectives and develop model policies, with a clear acknowledgment that the momentum toward broad public access will only increase, emphasizing the need for quality, sustainability, and adaptability in the face of potential shifts in governmental expectations.
