Check Open Access

checkOpenAccess

Resolves an identifier to a DOI, then looks up its open-access status via Unpaywall. Returns the best legal full-text location (preferring publisher copies, then repository copies), the licence, and the version (preprint, accepted, or published).

When to use

• A user asks "is there a free copy?" or "where can I read this without a paywall?"
• An agent is preparing a reading list and wants to surface freely-readable links.
• A library or syllabus tool wants to filter recommendations by accessibility.

Inputs

• id (string, required) — one identifier per call: DOI (including shortDOI aliases like 10/aabbe), PMID, PMCID, arXiv ID, ISBN, or ADS bibcode. Pass it verbatim. Items with no DOI return a "no DOI" result.

Outputs

{
  "ok": true,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0173664",
  "result": {
    "isOa": true,
    "oaStatus": "gold" | "green" | "hybrid" | "bronze" | "closed",
    "title": "...",
    "bestLocation": {
      "url": "https://...",
      "hostType": "publisher" | "repository",
      "license": "cc-by" | null,
      "version": "publishedVersion" | "acceptedVersion" | "submittedVersion" | null
    },
    "locations": [{ "url": "https://...", "hostType": "...", "license": null, "version": null }]
  }
}

• resolvedFrom ({ type, value }) is present only when the input was not already a DOI.
• When no DOI can be found, result is null and reason is one of no_doi / timeout / upstream.

Underlying surfaces

• REST: POST /api/oa-check with { "id": "…" }.
• Web UI: /tools/open-access-checker.
• MCP tool: checkOpenAccess.

Example

curl -sS -X POST "https://scholar-sidekick.com/api/oa-check" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"id":"10.1371/journal.pone.0173664"}'

See also

• resolveIdentifier for full metadata.
• checkRetraction for retraction-awareness on the same identifier.