J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library

home Gateway Carousel, J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library, Resources and Services Increase Your Scholarly Impact: Use the SPARC Author Addendum

Increase Your Scholarly Impact: Use the SPARC Author Addendum

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Gateway Carousel J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library Resources and Services
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laptops, coffee, charts and graphs

Your article was recently accepted for publication and you want to make sure your research has the widest reach and impact. One way to make sure this happens is retaining your author rights.

Traditional publishing agreements sign your copyright away to the publisher, lessening your impact as an author. When you don’t hold your copyright, you might not be allowed to give copies to your class or distribute it among colleagues. And depending on what you sign, you aren’t allowed to put your article on your webpage or in an online depository, further limiting your exposure.

So how do you make sure you retain your copyright? Publishing agreements are negotiable. Know your rights and consider using the SPARC author addendum* to modify your agreement. The SPARC author addendum is a free and legal resource that helps you easily modify your publishing agreement.

Need help or have questions? Visit our know your rights guide or contact your subject librarian.

*The Author Addendum is a free resource developed by SPARC in partnership with Creative Commons, established non-profit organizations that offer a range of copyright options for many different creative endeavors.

home Gateway Carousel, J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library, Resources and Services Make Your Research Open

Make Your Research Open

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Gateway Carousel J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library Resources and Services
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laptop and notebook

At Mizzou Libraries, we’re committed to making access to research more sustainable, affordable and open. And we need your help!

In traditional publishing models, scholars surrender their copyright to commercial publishers in order to disseminate their research findings in scholarly journals. Publishers then sell or rent that same content back to the institution through journal subscriptions—at ever increasing prices. This unsustainable practice costs institutions millions of dollars every year and creates barriers to access for many. Open access publishing encourages scholars to retain their rights and make their work freely available online, increasing the availability and impact of research.  

What You Can Do:  

Retain Your Rights: No matter where you publish, the single most important thing you can do to make scholarly publishing more sustainable and equitable is Retain Your Rights. It’s your copyright – don’t just sign it away! Contracts are often negotiable. And read those agreements: you may have more rights to share your research than you realize.  

Know Your Options: Choose the right venue for your research and know your open access options. If you’re an editor or manuscript reviewer, ask about the journal’s OA options. 

Share Your Work: Deposit your research in MOspace, MU’s Digital Institutional Repository. Submitting your work to MOspace is easy. Just log in with your SSO and complete the Creative Commons license.

Learn More: Talk with your Subject Specialist about open access in your area or request a Zoom workshop for your department, team or lab. 

home Gateway Carousel, J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library, Resources and Services Publish Open Access for Free With Read & Publish Agreements

Publish Open Access for Free With Read & Publish Agreements

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Gateway Carousel J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library Resources and Services
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Text: Publish Open Access for Free With the Mizzou Libraries

Publishing open access is a great way to keep research open and retain your copyright. We do understand that publishing open access comes with a financial commitment that you wouldn’t necessarily have with traditional publishing.

To help offset costs, Mizzou Libraries has agreements with several publishers that offer discounts and support of article processing charges (APCs) for the following journals.

Want to learn more? Talk with your subject librarian about open access in your area.

home Events and Exhibits, Gateway Carousel, J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library, Resources and Services Open Access Week 2026: The Cost of Knowledge

Open Access Week 2026: The Cost of Knowledge

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Events and Exhibits Gateway Carousel J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library Resources and Services
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list of open access week workshops

Mizzou Libraries invites you to join us for International Open Access Week 2026 (October 19-25), a global event focused on increasing awareness and understanding of open access and scholarly communication. This year’s theme, “The Cost of Knowledge,” explores the growing financial barriers to accessing and sharing research, while examining who bears those costs and who benefits from the current system.

Throughout the week, Mizzou Libraries will offer a series of online workshops designed to help researchers, students and authors navigate the scholarly publishing landscape. Topics include identifying predatory journals, understanding open access publishing options, building a research identity as an undergraduate scholar, and protecting your rights as an author through copyright awareness. Whether you are just beginning your research journey or preparing your next publication, these sessions will provide practical strategies for making informed decisions about sharing and accessing knowledge.

Join us as we explore how open access can advance human understanding, increase the visibility of research, and support a more equitable scholarly communication ecosystem. All workshops are free, but registration is required.

Predatory Journals: The Dark Side of Open Access

Date: Monday, October 19, 2026
Time: 1:00pm – 1:45pm
Registration

Open Access Publishing: Expanding the Reach of Your Research

Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Time: 1:00pm – 1:45pm
Registration

Undergraduate Researchers: Your Research Identity & Publishing Opportunities

Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Time: 1:00pm – 1:50pm
Registration

Copyright for Authors

Date: Thursday, October 22, 2026
Time: 1:00pm – 1:45pm
Registration

home Gateway Carousel, J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library, Resources and Services Peer Navigator Corner: Health Sciences Library

Peer Navigator Corner: Health Sciences Library

By Kimberly Moeller   Posted in Gateway Carousel J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library Resources and Services
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Written by: Emilee Dillon 

The J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library is one of many specialized libraries on campus here at Mizzou. If you’re looking for a new study spot, a group project space, or somewhere to cozy up with a good book, the Health Sciences Library may be a place for you to check out.

One thing I have heard a lot is the struggle to find flexible, comfortable seating in libraries. The good news is the Health Sciences library has you covered! Provided are individual podded chairs that offer comfortable seating and include a footrest, lights, and even an outlet. These pods offer more secluded, comfortable seating, with all the necessities provided, so you can stay comfortable while working on your studies. Walking through the student center, I have also noticed that the booths downstairs and upstairs are very popular. While Ellis does have a few booths on the 1st floor, the Health Sciences Library has a whole wall of booths and a few other sections as well. Also, if after sitting in classes all day you feel the need to take a break from sitting, but you also know you need to study, the Health Sciences Library has standing desks!

Although the Health Sciences Library has plenty of research material that is not the only thing it is used for, nursing and medical students can check out some course-specific textbooks right from the library! If you need a break from studying, you can also find a wide variety of books to read for leisure near the front of the library.

I have realized that students here at Mizzou love whiteboards, and this library delivers. There are double-sided mobile whiteboards for students to use, as well as large whiteboards near tall tables, perfect for group work or mind-mapping. If you’re like me, near finals, TikTok is a popular place to go for study motivation. The health sciences library has the popular floor-to-ceiling whiteboards featured in these study-hack videos in their study rooms, which are perfect for memorization or just organizing your ideas.

The health sciences library also has excellent lighting, warm, cozy yellow, rather than the harsh white lights that can make it difficult to focus. There is also a part of the library that, during daylight hours, has excellent natural light and a beautiful view of Stankowski field.

As mentioned before, the Health Sciences library has private and group study rooms that can be reserved here at the Missouri Libraries website!  It is also important to mention that the Health Sciences Library is open to all majors. While medical and nursing students have longer hours, they may access the facility; all students are welcome and encouraged to use the library.

You can find more information on the Health Sciences library, including their hours and location, on their website, J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library.

home Gateway Carousel, J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library, Resources and Services Discover LeapSpace: An AI-Powered Research Workspace

Discover LeapSpace: An AI-Powered Research Workspace

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Gateway Carousel J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library Resources and Services
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Student researcher with poster

Researchers today face an overwhelming volume of scholarly literature, making it increasingly difficult to stay current, identify relevant sources and synthesize information efficiently. To help address these challenges, Mizzou Libraries now offers access to LeapSpace, Elsevier’s research-grade AI workspace designed to accelerate discovery, deepen understanding and support every stage of the research process.

LeapSpace combines publisher-neutral scholarly content, responsible AI technology and enterprise-grade security in a single workspace. Whether you’re exploring a new research topic, conducting a literature review, identifying funding opportunities or developing a manuscript, LeapSpace can help you work smarter and more efficiently.

Ask Research Questions in Natural Language

Using LeapSpace is as simple as asking a question. Researchers can enter inquiries in a natural, conversational style and receive synthesized responses drawn from scholarly literature. The platform is designed to support complex, interdisciplinary research topics, helping users quickly navigate unfamiliar concepts and cross-field connections.

Key Features

Topic Overview

Get up to speed quickly with concise overviews that highlight key concepts, themes, and findings related to your research topic.

AI-Powered Summaries

LeapSpace synthesizes information from relevant scholarly documents, helping researchers understand large bodies of literature without reading every article in full.

Trust Cards

Evaluate AI-generated insights with confidence. Trust Cards provide supporting references and include a “Link to Statement” feature that shows how closely an AI-generated claim aligns with the original source material.

Follow-Up Conversations

Refine your research by asking follow-up questions, allowing you to dig deeper into specific concepts, methodologies, or findings.

Claim Radar

Explore how a particular claim is supported across the broader research landscape, making it easier to identify consensus, differing perspectives, and evidence strength.

Funding Insights

Discover funding opportunities and investigate funding sources connected to specific research areas.

Deep Research

Generate detailed research plans and conduct extensive literature searches across curated scholarly content. Deep Research continuously refines its approach as new insights emerge, helping researchers uncover connections and opportunities they might otherwise miss.

Writing Coach

Support your scholarly writing process with a dedicated workspace designed to help strengthen arguments, contextualize evidence and identify gaps in reasoning.

Supporting Research at Every Stage

From exploring a new topic to preparing grant proposals and drafting manuscripts, LeapSpace offers tools that can save time while promoting responsible use of AI in research. By combining trusted scholarly content with transparent AI assistance, the platform empowers researchers to focus on analysis, creativity and discovery.

Whether you’re a faculty member launching a new project, a graduate student conducting a literature review, or an interdisciplinary research team exploring emerging questions, LeapSpace can help streamline your workflow and enhance your research process.

Ready to get started? Visit the Mizzou Libraries LeapSpace guide to learn more and begin exploring this powerful new research workspace.

Click here for faculty-focused workshops and demos.

Click here for graduate student workshops and demos.

home Gateway Carousel, Gateway Carousel Zalk Veterinary Medical Library, J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library, Resources and Services New Open Journal Finder Helps Mizzou Researchers Identify Publishing Options

New Open Journal Finder Helps Mizzou Researchers Identify Publishing Options

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Gateway Carousel Gateway Carousel Zalk Veterinary Medical Library J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library Resources and Services
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stack of journals

The Mizzou Libraries now offer a tool to help Mizzou researchers identify journals where they can publish their work. The Open Journal Finder provides an easy way to explore journal publishing options, including open access status, article processing charges, and library-supported discounts or agreements.

Researchers can use the Open Journal Finder to look up individual journal titles and find important publishing details in one place. For each title, the tool may include the following information

  • whether the journal is fully open access, hybrid open access, or not open access;
  • whether article processing charges (APC) apply;
  • whether Mizzou Libraries support all or part of the APC (support only available for Mizzou-affiliated researchers);
  • instructions for authors;
  • the number of articles published by Mizzou authors in the journal over the last five years; and
  • how often Mizzou researchers have cited articles from the journal in the last two years.

When a journal is labeled “Library Supported” above the open access icon, Mizzou Libraries offers APC support for that title to Mizzou researchers. Researchers should click the journal title to view complete details, including any remaining costs they may be responsible for. Because not every title from a publisher is included in Mizzou’s APC agreements, researchers should always check the Open Journal Finder before submitting an article.

The tool also helps clarify common publishing categories. Fully open-access journals make all articles freely available, while hybrid journals include both open-access and subscription-only articles and may require an APC for open-access publishing. Journals that are not open access are marked with a gray lock icon. By bringing together publication costs, open-access status, author instructions, and MU-specific publishing metrics, the Open Journal Finder gives researchers a clearer picture of their options before they submit their work.

For more information about journal metrics, visit the Mizzou Libraries guide on journal rankings.

home Gateway Carousel, Gateway Carousel Zalk Veterinary Medical Library, J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library, Resources and Services Chat with the Librarians Wherever You Are

Chat with the Librarians Wherever You Are

By Shannon Cary   Posted in Gateway Carousel Gateway Carousel Zalk Veterinary Medical Library J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library Resources and Services
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student in library with headphones on

Need research help? Working on a paper or project? You can ask a librarian for help using our chat service– almost 24 hours a day.

During the day you can chat with Mizzou librarians and library staff. At night, we offer access to a chat reference service called ChatStaff. They will be able to answer most research questions, except for some that are Mizzou-specific.

To access the chat service and see what hours chat reference is available, visit libraryanswers.missouri.edu.

home J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library, Resources and Services Overview of Recent University of Missouri Publications in Medicine and Related Fields: August 2026

Overview of Recent University of Missouri Publications in Medicine and Related Fields: August 2026

By Taira Meadowcroft   Posted in J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library Resources and Services
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Overview of Recent University of Missouri Publications in Medicine and Related Fields

Each month we provide an overview of University of Missouri School of Medicine faculty-authored articles in medicine and related fields as well as a featured article with the highest journal impact factor.

This month’s featured article, “Early Detection and Surveillance of the SARS-CoV-2 Variant BA.3.2”  was co-authored by Dr. Marc Johnson of  Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. The article was published in MMWR Recommendations and Reports (impact factor of 51.3 in 2025).

See the list of publications in medicine and related fields we retrieved for this month: https://library.muhealth.org/facpubmonthlyresult/?Month=August&Year=2026