Get Free Copy: a multi-repository search platform for biomedical publications

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Informatics
• Open Science
• Scientific Communication

Background:

• Access to biomedical literature is often hindered by paywalls and fragmented databases.
• Researchers face challenges in efficiently locating legitimate free copies of scientific articles.
• The open-access movement aims to make research more accessible globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce Get Free Copy, a novel web-based platform.
• To streamline the search and retrieval of free biomedical literature.
• To foster collaboration within the open-source scientific community.

Main Methods:

• Developed a web-based platform with a Node.js backend.
• Implemented a dynamic front-end display for user interaction.
• Integrated multiple major repositories including arXiv, bioRxiv, medRxiv, and PubMed Central (PMC).

Main Results:

• Provides a unified interface for accessing biomedical literature.
• Successfully bypasses common paywall and fragmentation issues.
• Enhances research accessibility and efficiency for scientists.

Conclusions:

• Get Free Copy offers a valuable solution for accessing open-access biomedical research.
• The platform's open-source nature encourages community-driven development.
• It represents a significant step forward in promoting open science principles.