LibrelloPolitics and Governance1220130710Open Access Publishing10210310.12924/pag2013.01020102ENAmeliaHadfieldInstitute for European Studies, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Belgium. amelia.hadfield@vub.ac.beAndrejJ.ZwitterFaculty of Law, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. a.zwitter@rug.nlPaG-1.2.1022013070720130709The rise of open source online journals, free online courses, and other changes in the research and education environment, coined the "academic spring" by some commentators, represents an increasing trend in opening up the rules of access for research. Universities, libraries, publishers and even governments are paying attention to this new movement often referred to with the acronym A2K (access to knowledge).