Open Access publications can be read without paying. The Library has a limited budget, and we cannot pay to access every journal. Additionally, many publishers have limits on Library access to articles for a few years after publication.
However, you may still be able to freely and legally access these articles. The articles may be behind a paywall on the publisher's page, but the same article content may be uploaded elsewhere online, usually to an institutional or government repository. This will usually be the accepted manuscript version of the article. It has the same, peer-reviewed content.
An article that is behind a paywall on the publisher's site might be available freely (and legally) elsewhere on the internet. There are a few different search engines you can use to check if there are any free, open access versions of an article available online.
One major search engine is Google Scholar. Google Scholar is a good option if you are still doing research and not looking for a specific article.
If you are looking for a specific article, you can search Open Access Button.
Open Access browser extensions can be added to your browser to help you find open access versions of articles. Sometimes, an article that is behind a paywall is freely (and legally!) accessible elsewhere on the internet. A version of the article may have been uploaded to an institutional repository or to a government site.
Open Access browser extensions are just one more tool to find accessible articles. Different extension options are listed below. Choose whichever version has the most natural layout for you.
You can use Google Scholar to find versions of articles that you can access for free. Google Scholar can tell you in the search results if you have access to an article through USA Libraries or if a free version of the article has been uploaded elsewhere to the internet.
Whenever you use Google Scholar, make sure to be logged into your JagMail account on that browser. Google Scholar will then understand that you have access to USA Libraries.
In Google Scholar, you can search by author, article title, or subject.
1. Search Google Scholar. Find an article in which you are interested.
2. Select the "Full-Text@USA" option below the article you want to read. You might need to click on the arrows to show this option. You may also see a PDF option to the side of the article's search result.
3. If you do not have the "Full-Text@USA" option, please make sure you are signed into your JagMail email on your browser. If you are signed into your JagMail, and you do not have a PDF option or a "Full-Text@USA" option, then you do not have access to that article through Google Scholar. You can still try to request access to the article through Interlibrary Loan.