Holly Limbert

I am a qualified Librarian and currently work as Publication Practice Librarian at the University of Derby, where I have been in post since 2019. In this role, I am able to advance my passion for research and providing access to information by being involved with and helping to support and develop the culture of Open Research at the University of Derby and beyond.

I believe that information is a fundamental human right, and the main way in which I support this is by raising awareness of Open Access and the Open Research landscape. I am namely interested in raising the profile of librarians & the work that we do in advancing open knowledge. I am also very much invested in contributing to the conversation around the future of the scholarly monograph and how a transition to Open Access can be achieved. I am also actively engaged in the conversation surrounding author rights retention & supporting alternative routes to achieve Open publication beyond the Gold model. As an advisor for LIBER Europe, and the ORE platform, and as an OA expert on the Board of Stewards for the Open Book Collective, I’m striving to make this a reality.

PhD project

My research project aims to examine the role of librarians and information professionals in promoting Diamond Open Access (OA) among researchers in Western Europe and Latin America (LA). It aims to learn from LA’s widespread use of the Diamond model to encourage similar engagement in Western Europe. While library publishing services in LA are acknowledged, they are underexplored, and the visibility of librarians’ contributions requires further study. In Western Europe, librarians are involved in advocating for and managing Diamond OA services, making it important to assess their influence on its adoption. The study also evaluates how institutions value librarians in research support services related to Diamond OA, particularly in regions like LA, where such services are evolving. It explores the undervaluation of librarians and academic staff's reluctance to seek their guidance, impacting the uptake of Diamond OA. The project seeks to bridge the gap between the two regions, analysing cultural differences and service provision in academic libraries. Ultimately, my research aims to contribute to global OA efforts, shedding light on the vital role of librarians in advocating for equitable and sustainable OA, with implications for policy development and global OA promotion.

Supervisors

• Professor Stephen Pinfield
• Dr Laura Sbaffi