The spread of Open Access arguably represents one of the most far-reaching successes of the library and research fields over the last quarter century.
By providing an alternative to proprietary business models of scholarly publishing, it has made it possible to make the most of the technological opportunities that the internet has brought by providing much wider access to research. This helps reverse the vicious circle whereby less wealthy institutions can provide less access, and so in turn are less able to support research, meaning that they can attract fewer resources and partnerships.