Open Access publishing refers to making scholarly journal articles freely available online for anyone to read and use. It emerged as the internet made sharing content cheaper and easier than print. Traditionally, subscriptions funded journals but prices rose sharply in the 1990s limiting access. Now, some journals charge authors fees to make articles open while others use a hybrid model combining open access and subscription content, sometimes with embargo periods for new articles. This shift affects libraries who may see fewer subscriptions and more journals combining models, though embargo lengths will vary between journals and author choice.