Gated Content of Russian Institutional Open Access Repositories

Open access to scientific publications plays a vital role in the research process, facilitating knowledge sharing and accelerating scientific discovery. Repositories and digital libraries of scientific and educational institutions are effective tools for ensuring open access to research results. However, the content of these platforms is not always accessible to remote users.

To obtain information on the accessibility of repository and digital library content at Russian universities and research institutes, a study was conducted of the archives of 68 university websites participating in the Priority 2030 programme and 53 research institute websites. It was found that only a few platforms provide open access to all content. Many institutional repositories are completely closed to unregistered users. However, only students and staff members can register. For archives where access to some content is restricted, the ratio of open and gated access to materials is analyzed. The study found that in nine archives, the majority of full-text publications are accessible to remote users, while in 10 repositories, the majority of documents are inaccessible or accessible only to registered users.

It was determined that access to some materials in repositories and digital libraries is achieved through external links to platforms hosting the full text of publications. The problem of incorrect links was identified. It is concluded that despite the desire to ensure open access to all repository content, copyright issues and embargo periods often necessitate restricting access to the full text of a publication. At the same time, if much of the materials is closed to remote users, the repository’s effectiveness as a tool for ensuring open access is reduced.

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