Open access and the free flow of scientific information

Scientific progress comes through public disclosures and open exchange of information, with members of the scientific community learning from each other in a collective act of mutual understanding. Open-access publishing covers a multiple set of mechanisms that allow the end users free and unrestricted access to all the world's published papers. Modern information technology is removing the burden of printing from the publishers. It is also lowering barriers to information exchange, making it easier for the world's scientific communities to work together seamlessly.