"Open Access (OA) is the free, online availability of scholarly research outputs. OA deals primarily with access to peer-reviewed scholarly articles, for which authors receive no financial compensation.
There are two primary means of achieving Open Access:
Open Access Journals offer an alternative to traditional subscription-based journals by providing free access to the peer-reviewed articles they publish.
Open Access Repositories collect, preserve, and provide free access to peer-reviewed articles and other types of research outputs. OA repositories may be discipline-based or institution-based."
[Source: CARL Open Access Flyer. (2012). Retrieved November 17, 2016, from http://www.carl-abrc.ca/doc/CARL_OA_flyer_e.pdf]
OA is a new publishing model that provides free and unrestricted online access to scholarly publications and research data. This makes it easier to share your publications and collaborate with others. Certain granting agencies and funding sources require that you make your research accessible either through publishing in an open access journal or self-archiving in an open access repository.