The promise of public access: a recent history

Abstract Public access ensures that publications from government-funded research are accessible to taxpayers through official channels. Between 2004 and 2022, public access policies in the US expanded significantly, starting with National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded research, extending to large federal granting agencies, and eventually covering all federal agencies, often through executive branch initiatives. These policies and their ensuing mandates aligned with American ideals, portraying public access as a public good that fosters scientific literacy, offering transparency in government spending, and demonstrating a strong return on investment. Public access policies could also bolster US leadership in scientific research, while broadening science’s reach beyond institutional barriers. This research examines the evolution of public access policy from NIH’s initial mandate to White House memoranda by John Holdren and Alondra Nelson. It highlights how these evolving policies and legislation reflected national values and expanded efforts toward public access.