Teresa Hackett, EIFL Copyright and Libraries Programme Manager, reports on the annual WIPO Assemblies (4-8 October 2021), where she delivered online statements on behalf of EIFL on two key topics for libraries: copyright limitations and exceptions, and the Marrakesh Treaty for persons with print disabilities.

Teresa Hackett, EIFL’s Copyright and Libraries Programme Manager, reports from the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) copyright committee that met in hybrid mode in Geneva from 28 June to 1 July.

Romy Beard, EIFL Licensing Programme Manager, analyses the amount of research published in open access in 2020 by authors from EIFL partner countries, to find out if EIFL-negotiated agreements are making a difference. 

Iryna Kuchma, EIFL Open Access Programme Manager, highlights Research Data Management training programmes offered by our partner institutions in Estonia, Ethiopia, Lithuania and Serbia.

Sharing research data is a part of good research practice. It helps to cut down on academic fraud, validates the research results, leads to scientific breakthroughs, and potentially, to more citations for journal articles. It increases the use and reuse of data and brings economic benefits as well. 

The first online Next Library 2021 Festival on 3 - 4 June offered a remarkable space for learning about public library transformation centred on the community. The main themes were: Democracy, Creativity and Playful Learning in Libraries, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Ugne Lipeikaite, EIFL Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP) Impact Manager, discusses a remarkable Danish public library impact study and asks - can the evaluation approach be applied in developing countries?

How can you make sure your open science policies and strategies take account of local needs, and at the same time, accommodate broader regional priorities? There is no one answer, says Iryna Kuchma, EIFL Open Access Programme Manager. 

Rima Kupryte, EIFL Director, looks back at our achievements and successes over the past three years and presents our 2021-2023 Strategic Plan. 

Access to knowledge has never been more critical. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vital need for knowledge and information and the benefits of open science. At the same time, the pandemic has deepened global inequalities and the digital divide. 

Iryna Kuchma, EIFL Open Access Programme Manager, looks forward to a challenging and busy year for open science training.

Moving open access and open science training events online was a challenge and an opportunity in 2020. Training in a virtual environment diminishes the variety of interactions that face-to-face training allows; however, at the same time, we were able to reach many more people through our events and workshops - people who might not have been able to travel to training. 

In 2018, the EIFL Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP) and the Kenya National Library Service (KNLS), which manages a network of 62 public libraries staffed by 600 people, entered into a partnership to strengthen continuous professional development of public librarians in Kenya.