Researcher looking into a microscope in a laboratory.

Open Research

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Becoming an interdisciplinary incubator, building communities of knowledge and practice. Inspiring people from all backgrounds to engage with our collections and contribute to our research.

Open Research champions the idea that all types of scholarly outputs (including data) should be shared as freely as possible and as early as possible in the research process across all disciplines, both within and beyond academia.

The Open Research Team work with you through the provision of services, systems, resources and training to help you achieve your research goals and enable Open Research. We’re here to engage with you throughout the whole research cycle, no matter what stage you are in your research career to help you plan, publish, preserve and share your research and meet funder requirements. By aiding the development of open research skills and practices, we are working towards more reproducible, accessible and rigorous research. You may find our Open Research Services handbook containing a list of key links a useful tool to navigate our website and services.

What is Open Research?

A brief animation introducing Open Research and the support available through the Library

Open Research Services

  • Open Access

    The Library supports researchers to identify where to publish research, understand how to make publications Open Access, meet Open Access requirements, and take advantage of Open Access funding agreements.

  • Research Data Management

    The Library supports researchers in accessing, managing, preserving and sharing research data effectively, including producing Research Data Management Plans and utilising Lancaster University's institutional data repository.

  • Research Intelligence

    The Library provide intelligence that can inform you of the impact and influence of your research, using publication data, citations analysis and Altmetrics. This can help with choosing where to publish, finding collaborators and plays a supporting role in funding bids, benchmarking of current practice and evidencing your research strengths.

  • Open Research at Lancaster University Toolkit

    A self-paced resource introducing Open Research and the support available through the library to publish your research, suitable for researchers from any discipline and career stage.

A cartoon character sat at a laptop with papers flying out of the screen.

Open Research Training and Guidance

You can access a range events, training and online resources relating to Open Research through the Library. This includes:

  • Training sessions delivered through the Library Skills @Lancaster programme
  • Self-guided online resources and e-learning
  • Case studies relating to Open Research practices across a range of different academic disciplines

Visit our Open Research Training and events webpage for more information.

Open Research Training
The library tree

Research Publications and Rights Retention policy

Following a recent N8 Research Partnership initiative Lancaster University’s Senate have approved a new ‘rights retention’ policy for Lancaster University.

Research Publications and Rights Retention policy

Lancaster University Principles of Open Research

Lancaster University has published a set of guiding Open Research principles. The principles and practices of Open Research are aligned with our prevailing research culture, reflecting core values embedded within Lancaster University’s motto, Patet omnibus veritas ('Truth lies open to all').

Principles of Open Research at Lancaster University
Image of the university sign at the main entrance

Library Research News

Research Engagement Spaces

The Digital Scholarship and Open Research Labs are flexible spaces that can facilitate a range of workshops and events. The Library is looking to partner with its diverse research community to promote interdisciplinary Open Research and Digital Scholarship throughout the institution and beyond. If you are interested in hosting an event in the Research spaces that relates to either Open Research, Digital Scholarship, or partners with the library, please submit an event request form.

Please visit the Library event spaces webpage to find out further information about the spaces.

If you would like to discuss an event idea with the Library Open Research Team please email libraryevents@lancaster.ac.uk.

For more information about hosting events at the Library, including our events policy, please visit our 'Whats on' webpage.

Useful links