---
title: ToolRouter — Use Case
description: Step-by-step guide for a real-world ToolRouter use case with agent-specific instructions.
url: https://toolrouter.com/tools/academic-research/use-cases/find-open-access-papers
---
# Find Open Access Papers

Most academic papers sit behind expensive journal paywalls. But many of those same papers have open access versions -- preprints on arXiv, author manuscripts on institutional repositories, or gold open access publications. Finding the free version saves money and time.

The search_papers skill returns metadata that includes open access status and links to freely available versions when they exist. Instead of hitting a paywall and giving up, you can find the same paper hosted somewhere accessible.

Students without institutional access, independent researchers, journalists, developers building on academic work, and professionals in developing countries all benefit from knowing which papers are freely available. Open access discovery removes the financial barrier to knowledge.

**Tool:** [Academic Research](https://toolrouter.com/tools/academic-research)
**Skills:** search_papers

## Agent Guides

- [How to Find Open Access Papers with Claude](https://toolrouter.com/tools/academic-research/use-cases/find-open-access-papers/claude): Guide for Claude
- [How to Find Open Access Papers with ChatGPT](https://toolrouter.com/tools/academic-research/use-cases/find-open-access-papers/chatgpt): Guide for ChatGPT
- [How to Find Open Access Papers with Copilot](https://toolrouter.com/tools/academic-research/use-cases/find-open-access-papers/copilot): Guide for Copilot
- [How to Find Open Access Papers with OpenClaw](https://toolrouter.com/tools/academic-research/use-cases/find-open-access-papers/openclaw): Guide for OpenClaw
