When Scholars Become Outlaws: What Academics Taught Me About Pirate Open Access

Millions of scholars worldwide use academic pirate networks (APNs) like Sci-Hub and Library Genesis to access research literature. But why? And what does their use reveal about the state of scholarly publishing? This presentation shares findings from a phenomenographic study of 25 scholars who use APNs, exploring how they make sense of their participation in these networks. The research identified three progressively deeper ways scholars experience APNs: as practical tools for efficient access,