Stay up to date with our latest developments, initiatives, and new resources!
In the week of World Intellectual Property Day 2022, IFLA has released the Executive Summary of its research report "How well did copyright laws serve libraries during COVID-19?".
In May 2022, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)’s Standing Committee on Copyright Relations will meet for the 42nd time – and for the first time in person in the two years since the pandemic began.
We’re excited to announce calls for proposals for the Knowledge Rights 21 (KR21) programme. These requests for proposals (RFPs) will result in building a knowledge base on several areas relevant to copyright legislation.
The latest update to IFLA's Marrakesh Monitoring Report sets out how countries around the world are protecting (or not) the rights of people with disabilities to access to information.
IFLA participated in the Assemblies of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), held on 4-8 October 2021. With COVID rules preventing in-person attendance by non-governmental organisations, IFLA engaged remotely, alongside partners from across the culture, education and research sectors.
Stichting IFLA Foundation is delighted to receive a €3m Arcadia grant to launch the new Knowledge Rights 21 (KR21) programme to promote access to knowledge for study, research and cultural life in Europe.
IFLA has submitted comments on the South Africa Copyright Amendment Bill. In these, we have highlighted the importance of a balanced copyright framework which includes flexibilities in regard to exceptions and limitations to copyright to allow libraries, archives, museums, education and research institutions to fulfil their missions in the digital age.
From 28 June to 1 July, IFLA participated in the 41st session of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR41) at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The 41st session of the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR41) will take place from 28th July to 1st June. This meeting has an agenda that encompasses rights for broadcasters, exceptions and limitations for libraries, archives, museums, educational and research institutions, and a range of other items.
Controlled Digital Lending (CDL) has emerged in the last few years as a specific means of enabling libraries to fulfil their missions. It involves libraries lending digital copies of physical works in their collections, using technological safeguards to ensure that no more copies are loaned than the library itself owns. IFLA's statement underlines the potential of CDL, and what conditions could allow it to take place.
The past year has underlined how essential it is for libraries to be able to offer access to content digitally. With major expansion in demand from users, there have been both welcome moves from publishers to facilitate access, but also increasingly clear evidence of underlying challenges in the eBook market. We interviewed Sari Feldman and Alan Inouye, ALA, to get an update.
IFLA has joined with partners in signing a call for World Trade Organisation Members to make it clear that where intellectual property rights make it more difficult to tackle COVID-19 and its consequences, governments should be able to take steps to enable use of protected works.
IFLA has lent its support to efforts to ensure that least developed countries continue to enjoy greater flexibilities and lower administrative requirements in implementing trade deals. Retaining these possibilities will support investment, and more favourable laws, for education and research, and the libraries that support them.
Library Futures is a newly created organisation in the United States, focused on the questions facing libraries in the digital world, with a view both to supporting learning and capacity building on the ground, and advocating for policy change. We interviewed Jennie Rose Halperin, Executive Director of Library Futures, to find out more.
2021 has begun and IFLA is already on the way to being a busy year. While all libraries are facing information access problems because of COVID-19, we are committed to continuing efforts to build better opportunities for users through improved legal frameworks for copyright. Find out what our plans and expectations are for 2021.
IFLA has published a new statement on the role of library and information services in improving the way societies are governed, both through optimal decision-making within government, and effective scrutiny and engagement by parliaments and wider populations.
The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the importance for libraries to be able to provide services to users through digital channels, and the serious challenges faced in doing so. We interviewed the Library Association of Ireland to find out more about the situation there, and what they are doing about it.
On 16-20 November 2020, the World Intellectual Property Organization hosted the 40th meeting of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR). The objective of this meeting – the first in over a year – was to take stock of work so far, and explore steps forwards on the Committee’s agenda, including its work on exceptions and limitations to copyright for libraries, archives and museums.