The trend towards Open Access
The new University Librarian also demonstrates her ability to get right to the point when it comes to other important topics, such as DEAL. The project wants to make Open Access, unrestricted availability of publications, the standard in scientific publishing. Until now, a significant share of research results are located behind paywalls. At the same time, academic publishers are modifying their business models: Universities used to pay for increasingly expensive subscriptions, but now they have to invest enormous amounts in publication costs. This is a lucrative business for publishers, especially for the major publishing houses – a fact that draws criticism from Caroline Leiss: "Half of the world belongs to the big players." For some time now, stakeholders throughout Germany have been working on a new model that will keep Open Access publication costs affordable for universities and, in return, guarantees unrestricted access to scientific journals. Caroline Leiss says it is finally time for a solution: "Now, as TUM, we can help shape the future."
She enjoys shaping things and working her way into new challenges, for example, handling research data. The University Library recently teamed up with the Munich Data Science Institute to form the TUM Research Data Hub, which advises researchers on how to archive their data in a transparent and accessible way. This includes addressing questions like "What do you do with data after concluding a project?" or developing a tool that allows easy access to data stored in various locations.
In any case, there is no shortage of open topics at the University Library – and when Caroline Leiss has once again spent many long hours at her desk or the conference table, she likes to take the flight of stairs from her office down to the Main Campus Branch Library to see how many study desks are occupied. Her favorite library among the nine branches? "They're all wonderful," whether the Physics Branch Library with its bright red walls or the library at the new TUM Campus in the Olympic Park with so much interior wood. She plans to be regularly present in Garching and Weihenstephan and, of course, also occasionally at the more distant locations such as Straubing.
