This presentation discusses open access and how it promotes the free sharing of scholarly research. It defines open access and notes that only a fraction of research is accessible currently due to limited journal subscriptions. The presentation outlines the benefits of open access in increasing research visibility, usage, impact, and progress. It provides examples of open access journal collections and repositories, and how researchers can publish and fund open access. It also discusses the University of Johannesburg's initiatives to promote open access through its institutional repository and open access awareness events.