The Dutch SURF Foundation has signed the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge. Excerpt from today's press release: 'Signing the Berlin Declaration is a logical step for SURF. The fact is that the foundation puts a great deal of effort into ensuring that valuable scientific information is distributed widely. According to Prof. Dr. Wim Liebrand, Director of the SURF Foundation: 'Information arising from publicly financed research is a public resource that should be available to everyone. "Open Access" brings us a step closer to this goal, and SURF is pleased to be able to play an active part in the process.' In 2003, for instance, it established the so-called DARE Programme, an initiative that is engaged in setting up a network of 'Digital Academic REpositories'. In addition, SURF has for a number of years devoted attention to the issue of copyright in the matter of scientific communications. Its support for and promotion of Open Access is a logical extension of its policy in this area....For users, Open Access in fact means free access to scholarly publications. For authors it means a wider readership as well as increased visibility and therefore greater impact.' Also see the new SURF page on open access.
Posted by
Peter Suber at 12/01/2004 07:20:00 AM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
I recommend the OA tracking project (OATP) as the best way to stay on top of new OA developments. You can read the OATP feed on a blog-like web page or subscribe to it by RSS, email, or Twitter. You can also help build the feed by tagging new developments you encounter.
