I am an independent researcher without any funding. Sometimes it becomes very difficult for me to get access to vital references and literature due to locked access by most publishers and this is affecting my research adversely. All libraries do not subscribe all journals nor books. Some journals even hide the email id of the authors in the abstracts ensuring that I can not contact them for a copy of the desired publication for personal use and reference.
Should I stop my academic pursuits due to such great obstacle?
The view of Bahtilla Marinette is perfectly correct. In spite of all the hindrance we will have to continue with our academic pursuit.
I agree with the view of other researchers that you should keep on doing your research. And if you need any help regarding accessibility from other RG colleagues, we will try our best to help you if possible.
This is a real issue hindering the scientific pursuits of genuine researchers on the pretext of commercialization of knowledge by creating paywalls. This is equally important when some one not really funded by some agency wishes to publish his work in a good journal but actually can not seeing the high APC of the journal.
Instead of mere advice of continuing with what ever resources are open to us , we need to build a movement to ensure the right for knowledge not hindered by the paywalls. The publishers are required to take up the responsibility of sharing the knowledge to the rest of the community specially with those who cant afford to pay for reading of publishing an article . I am happy to attach an article of mine published recently at Current Science in this regard.
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