sherpa.ac.uk Reviews

Sherpa.ac.uk is a website that provides information and services related to open access policies for research funders. It consolidates several Sherpa services, including Romeo, Juliet, Fact, and OpenDOAR, into one platform. These services help researchers and institutions make informed decisions about open access publication and compliance. Sherpa Romeo, for example, allows users to see publishers’ conditions for open access archiving on a journal-by-journal basis, while Sherpa Juliet provides information on funders’ conditions for open access publication. OpenDOAR enables the identification, browsing, and search for repositories, and Sherpa Fact checks if compliance with funder open access policies can be achieved with a particular journal.

The website also offers useful links to open access guides by Jisc and provides contact information for assistance. It emphasizes the importance of open research, removing barriers, embedding open practices, and developing open infrastructure. The content on the site is licensed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, which allows for the sharing and adaptation of the material with proper attribution, non-commercial use, and no derivatives.

In terms of accessibility, the website acknowledges that it is committed to making its content as accessible as possible. It provides an accessibility statement that outlines its efforts to ensure that the site is usable by as many people as possible, including those with disabilities. The statement addresses known accessibility issues and provides information on how to request content in accessible formats, report accessibility problems, and seek enforcement if necessary. It also details the technical information about the website’s accessibility, including areas of non-compliance with the accessibility regulations and plans for improvement.

The website’s commitment to accessibility and its efforts to address known issues demonstrate a proactive approach to ensuring that all users, regardless of their abilities, can access and benefit from the information and services provided. It’s important for platforms like Sherpa.ac.uk, which cater to the academic and research community, to prioritize accessibility to support inclusivity and equal access to knowledge and resources.”

the reasons behind this review :
Comprehensive information on open access policies and services for research funders, Consolidation of multiple Sherpa services for convenience, Emphasis on informed decision-making for open access publication and compliance, Specific services like Sherpa Romeo for publisher conditions and Sherpa Juliet for funder conditions, OpenDOAR for repository identification and search, Sherpa Fact for checking compliance with funder policies, Links to open access guides by Jisc, Commitment to open research and infrastructure development, Licensing of content under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 for sharing and adaptation, Acknowledgment of accessibility commitment and provision of an accessibility statement, Information on how to request accessible formats and report accessibility problems, Technical details about website accessibility and areas of non-compliance, Plans for improvement and commitment to meeting accessibility standards, Proactive approach to addressing accessibility issues for inclusivity and equal access.