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The growing use of digital technology to provide, access and share knowledge is leading to an ever wider gap between users’ expectations and what libraries were legally allowed to offer. At CopyCamp, a conference on copyright issues in Poland, IFLA set out the risks this poses to libraries' crucial balancing role, and called on participants to follow and support its work.
IFLA participated in a on 18-19 October on the implementation of the Treaty of Marrakesh in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This allowed key stakeholders from across Latin America shared experiences and concerns, and to work together to develop a roadmap towards effective ratification and real outcomes for people with print disabilities throughout the continent.
Five years ago IFLA released its current Statement on Open Access, and its contents still stands strong and relevant. IFLA wants to acknowledge the importance of open access for access to knowledge and promote open access by sharing stories from our members during the International Open Access Week 2016.
Colombia is currently planning a major reform of its copyright laws which will impact libraries and their users. IFLA has addressed an open letter to the government, underlining that supporting Colombia’s libraries will promote education, creativity and innovation, as well as helping achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
HABITAT, a platform which gathers every 20 years to shape the future of human settlements, has issued its Quito Declaration on sustainable cities and human settlements for all – the New Urban Agenda.
IFLA is seeking applications from organisations in the region interested in establishing and staffing a new Regional Office.Deadline: 18 November 2016
Children and young adults department is often the colourful, cozy haven in the library. Libraries designed for children and YA awake imagination and welcome all visitors.
Open access to legal knowledge in Africa
The report covers the main session organized by the Section on Library and Research Services for Parliaments, with links to presentation files.
Despite political criticisms, trade-based globalisation is an unavoidable part of modern economies and society. As countries have sought to facilitate exchanges of goods and services, they have signed deals that have far reaching effects on national legislation. IFLA held a panel at this year's WTO Public Forum to explore the impacts on libraries, and whether recent trends give grounds for optimism or pessimism.
IFLA took the floor three times during the General Assembly of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva, calling on ministers, heads of intellectual property offices and diplomats to agree on copyright reforms that will allow libraries to do the best by their users.
The WILSIG 2016 Action Plan is now available for viewing.
View the complete issue online
Starting tomorrow, the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organisation will meet together in Geneva. For IFLA, highlights will include discussions on future work on limitations on copyright for libraries, Ms Sylvie Forbin's first major event as Deputy Director General, Copyright and Creative Industries, and a celebration of the entry into force of the Treaty of Marrakesh. The latter shows that WIPO discussions can lead to results that offer wider access to knowledge, with dividends for growth, equality, human rights and well-being.
Three years and three months after it was signed, the Treaty of Marrakesh enters into force today. It is a time to celebrate a major advance in the struggle to give people with visual impairments equal access to knowledge. IFLA looks back at the work that brought us where we are today, and forwards to the challenges still ahead.
In 2017, the IFLA Health and Biosciences Libraries Section and De Gruyter Saur will publish a book titled: Action to impact: librarians working at the heart of health communities.
Libraries have always been about preserving and giving access to information. At all levels, they readily work with other actors in order to achieve this. The first International Day for the Universal Access to Information is the occasion for a joint statement between IFLA and the International Publishers Association (IPA). This sets out areas where we can progress, together, towards this key objective.
Deadline: 31 Octoberr 2016. IFLA Journal is an international journal publishing peer-reviewed scholarship on Library and Information services and the social, political and economic issues that impact access to information through libraries.
Last week, the European Commission published proposals for legislation which would implement the Treaty of Marrakesh. The benefits of EU ratification could be high, potentially more than doubling the number of countries involved, and making a wealth of European language works available to some of the most vulnerable people around the world. IFLA and EBLIDA, in a joint statement, welcomed these proposals, but cautioned that more work will be needed to ensure that no new barriers to access to knowledge are created.