Universal Availability of Publications Core Programme

Archive - Historical Material

Medium Term Programme 1998-2001

Scope

The mission of UAP is to maximise access to the widest possible range of published material and maximise the availability of that material regardless of content or format.

By its very nature, the scope of the Programme is very broad and encompasses every kind of library and information intermediary in both the public and private sector. In terms of players in the information chain the Programme is concerned with publishers, distributors (booksellers, subscription agents, database hosts, Internet sites and nodes, network providers), libraries and information resources, and individual users of these services. In specific library operation terms the Programme has a special interest in acquisitions, collection development and management, copyright and other legal matters, legal deposit, services to the public, retention and discarding policies, interlibrary loan and document delivery services, and preservation.

Programme Goals, 1998-2001 - Action Plans, 1998-1999

Actions:

1.1 PUBLISHERS LIAISON COMMITTEE: The Programme will continue to oversee the work of the PLC although there is no budget for meetings or other cost-based activities. Members keep in touch through Email. The successful planning of the joint conference with Project IMPRIMATUR on rights and exceptions in the field of copyright may provide the basis for future co-operation.

1.2 Work will also continue on GENERAL COPYRIGHT RESEARCH under the British Library "label" on copyright law world-wide including advising the EU and other organisations on reforms.

1.3 In the event of IFLA establishing a COMMITTEE ON LEGAL MATTERS, the Programme will take an active role in the work of the Committee, providing the Secretariat, should the EB request this.

Goal 2
Take an active role in researching the issues facing users, librarians and publishers in the electronic environment.

Actions:

2.1 PROJECT COPEARMS: This is a major EU-funded project to look at the implementation of electronic copyright management systems using the CITED Technology (a development with which the Programme has been involved indirectly through the British Library since 1989). It began in January 1996 and will continue for three years. The Project is the biggest revenue-earner for the Programme. A conference on Electronic Copyright Management Systems has been organised in 1997 and may lead to further co-operation in the future.

2.2 EU ELECTRONIC COPYRIGHT PROJECTS: The Office will continue its indirect involvement in projects COPYSMART and IMPRIMATUR through its connections with the British Library.

2.3 PROJECT REVIEWS: The Programme Director is also on the Steering Board of ECUP the European Copyright Users Platform and has been appointed a reviewer for projects for both Directorate III and XIII in the European Commission.

Goal 3
Provide information about, and support for, the development of library co-operation programmes, with an emphasis on assistance for developing countries and regions.

Actions:

3.1 DOCUMENT SUPPLY IN AFRICA: This is a project to established electronic mechanisms for document requesting and possibly delivery in Africa. It is a joint project, led by the Danish and Norwegian Aid agencies with the support of the Section on Document Delivery and Interlending. Some training work has already been undertaken and Programme Staff expect to visit Ghana in 1998.

3.2 Work on providing BIBLIOGRAPHIES AND REVIEWS of the literature in the field of interlending and document supply will continue for MCB University Press.

Goal 4
Provide a dynamic and inexpensive publications programme related to all aspects of the Programme's scope.

Action:

4.1 PUBLICATIONS in hand for 1998 include the papers from the Zimbabwe seminar on Official Publications in Anglophone Africa; papers from the Ljubljana conference on Libraries and Economic Growth; the papers from the Electronic Copyright Management Systems conference in London 1997, papers from the Rights and Exceptions conference in Amsterdam in November 1997; further titles will be added as appropriate and the Programme is always willing to cooperate with other areas of IFLA to publish relevant documents.

Goal 5
Organise or participate in conferences and meetings to promote the concept of UAP.

Actions:

5.1 The 6th INTERLENDING & DOCUMENT SUPPLY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE will be held in Pretoria in 1999 and will be once again a joint event between the UAP Programme and the host institution. In this case it will be the State Library in Pretoria.

5.2 UAP WORKSHOP FOR LATIN AMERICA: It had been hoped to hold this in November 1996 but funds have now been forthcoming to hold this with the support of NCLIS in 1998 in Buenos Aires.

5.3 ROLE OF LIBRARIES IN ECONOMIC GROWTH: As a follow-up to the Ljubljana conference on this topic in April 1997, it is hoped to work with Canadian colleagues to hold a similar event in Victoria, British Columbia, in 1998.

Goal 6
Provide practical means for improving library co-operation, especially document delivery, world-wide.

Actions:

6.1 VOUCHER SCHEME TO PAY FOR INTERLIBRARY TRANSACTIONS: The pilot project for the scheme finished in November 1997 and a final report will be delivered to CDNL in Copenhagen in 1997. This project has become a permanent feature of the ILL scheme. Over 140 libraries are now actively taking part and numbers are growing each month. Funding for administering the scheme is limited and may have to be supplemented from other areas of the Programme's activities. The scheme is now totally financially secure regarding the obligations to those participating.

6.2 The project to build a database for libraries wishing to enter a TWINNING arrangement has proved very successful. It was initiated by Unesco and received start-up funding from other organisations but further funding will need to be sought to ensure its continuation.

6.3 UNION CATALOGUE OF UNION CATALOGUES: This project aims to collect data on national and regional (i.e. supra-national) union catalogues throughout the world. It is a joint project with the Section on Serial Publications, Section on Bibliography, the ISSN and ISBN Centres and the Collections and Services Coordinating Board. Data has been mounted on the World Wide Web and further information is being added on a regularly basis. It is likely this will become a permanent feature.

Goal 7
Stimulate action to improve access to published materials for those with visual impairments.

Actions:

7.1 The Office will continue its work on availability to the VISUALLY IMPAIRED through its role as a Trustee of the Share the Vision Project which aims to increase library services in this area within the UK and Ireland.

7.2 PROJECT SEDODEL: As part of its work with the BL the Programme will begin work on Project SEDODEL in 1998 which deals with secure access to electronic documents for visually-impaired persons.

Goal 8
Explore the ethical issues facing the whole information chain in the area of electronic technology.

Actions:

8.1 Participate on conferences in Memphis (USA) and Monte Carlo (Monaco) on this topic of ETHICAL ISSUES IN THE ELECTRONIC ENVIRONMENT.

8.2 RAISING AWARENESS: Act as a mentor in various electronic projects to ensure the ethical issues are adequately addressed in a technological context.

Goal 9
Provide IFLA members with an information resource on all aspects of the Programme's activities.

Project Schedule