Tools for searching open access sources: a guideline

Abstract

Open access resources, by their nature, can usually be accessed by performing a simple web search. Some believe (1) that there is no free access without open search. Free research here means the possibility of searching for intellectual production without any obstacles. Therefore, tools for searching open access sources are sometimes called open search tools.

This collection of papers aims to address some of the tools for searching for information sources available according to the open access method. These tools are generally divided into search engines, directories, and metadata harvesters. It is worth noting that search engines are usually described as comprehensive tools, while the other two types are described as tools dedicated to open access-specific tools. All of these tools can be considered initiatives to support the open access movement.