Open Access News

News from the open access movement


Tuesday, February 24, 2004

IFLA statement on OA

Today the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) released the IFLA Statement on Open Access to Scholarly Literature and Research Documentation, an important endorsement of OA by an important voice for libraries. Excerpts:

IFLA affirms that comprehensive open access to scholarly literature and research documentation is vital to the understanding of our world and to the identification of solutions to global challenges and particularly the reduction of information inequality.

Open access guarantees the integrity of the system of scholarly communication by ensuring that all research and scholarship will be available in perpetuity for unrestricted examination and, where relevant, elaboration or refutation.

The IFLA definition of OA derives from the Bethesda statement. The IFLA statement was approved by the IFLA Governing Board on December 5, 2003, but only released today. Also see the press release accompanying the statement.