Open Access News

News from the open access movement


Thursday, April 10, 2008

Update from Canadian libraries' OA task force

Andrew Waller and Heather Morrison, From the CLA Task Force on Open Access, Feliciter, April 2008.
This is a brief update on the work of the CLA Task Force on Open Access (OA) and the activity of the Canadian Library Association regarding Open Access.

The Task Force was formed in November 2006 and was given the mandate to develop a policy statement on OA in the CLA, including recommendations on policies and practices to implement the policy if adopted. Additionally, the Task Force was asked to draft a position statement on OA in Canadian libraries.

The first action was completed in early 2007 and presented to CLA Executive Council. In May, Council accepted the recommendations, which included these recommendations:
  • Full and immediate open access for all CLA publications, with the exception of Feliciter, which will be embargoed for one issue. Monographs will be considered for Open Access on an individual basis.
  • CLA will actively encourage its members to self-archive in institutional and/or subject repositories and will investigate a partnership with E-LIS, the Open Archive for Library and Information Science.
  • CLA will provide for authors’ retention of copyright through the adoption of publisher-author agreements that promote Open Access, such as Creative Commons licensing.
  • CLA will adopt an open communications policy for all or almost all CLA communications.
The draft position statement is currently in the consultation process. ...