In academic and research libraries, electronic resources are present. Obviously, priority is given to licensed resources, even in the humanities where the development of digital technology is impacting research practices. By studying the e-resources of a sample of libraries, we intend to analyze how open access resources for the humanities are integrated into indexing tools and promoting activities. If librarians seem reluctant to follow through the issue of Open Access in the humanities, the exhortations to advance the cause of openness are growing internationally. In such a difficult economic context, the challenge consists in articulating the identification and dissemination of free web materials with the needs of research communities. Defining the concept of Open Access in the humanities, putting it into perspective and into practice may require expanded efforts on three core areas: that of mediation, training and content creation.