Dear Colleagues

On behalf of the Governing Board of IFLA, I am writing to invite you to make one nomination for a place on the IFLA Advisory Committee on Copyright and other Legal Matters (CLM).

Copyright and other Legal Matters (CLM) is an initiative within IFLA to represent the voice of the international library community in copyright, broader intellectual property and other legal concerns. CLM provides advice to the Governing Board and Secretary General on these issues in relation to IFLA’s strategic directions, and works in consultation with other relevant IFLA professional programmes and sections.

The deadline for the receipt of nominations at IFLA Headquarters is 15 February 2019. No late submissions will be accepted.

The responsibilities of the CLM Advisory Committee are to:

  • advise the IFLA Governing Board on:

    • Copyright and intellectual property
    • Economic and trade barriers to the acquisition of library and information materials
    • Internet Governance
    • Data protection, privacy and surveillance
    • Subscription and license agreements
    • Other legal matters of international significance to library and information services
  • monitor the state of CLM matters affecting the library and information community worldwide;
  • promote awareness of and activities related to copyright and other legal matters affecting the library and information community worldwide;
  • support IFLA policy development on matters within the Advisory Committee’s areas of expertise, directly or indirectly related to library and information services,
  • collaborate with IFLA’s advisory committees and professional units where specific expertise may be provided by CLM or drawn from IFLA’s committees and their networks;
  • cooperate with other international and regional organisations to advance IFLA’s positions and policies relating to CLM.

Nominations will be considered for the term of office 2019-2021.

Only one nomination will be accepted from each Association and Institutional Member. The Board takes into account the need to ensure wide geographical representation on the Advisory Committee. 

For reference, please see the list of current members of the CLM Committee and Terms of Reference.

Nominees should have:

  • significant interest and expertise in the issues within the Advisory Committee’s terms of reference;
  • demonstrated activity focused on copyright and libraries within their country;
  • the ability to report authoritatively on the state of affairs in their own countries and regions in respect of copyright and other legal matters listed above, and engage with their governments to promote IFLA goals;
  • a demonstrably reasonable expectation of being able to attend (without cost to IFLA) the business and professional meetings of the Advisory Committee. The business meetings are usually held before and during the IFLA World Library and Information Congress beginning in Athens, Greece, in August 2019 and up to and including August 2021, and mid-terms in March or April of each year;
  • a working knowledge of at least one of the working languages of IFLA (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Russian and Spanish). Since the business meetings of IFLA are generally conducted in English, reasonable fluency in this language is necessary to be able to fully participate as a member of the IFLA/CLM Advisory Committee; and
  • the ability and willingness to contribute regularly to the work of the Advisory Committee in between congresses.

The Chair of the CLM Committee, Evelyn Woodberry, will advise the Governing Board on the selection of names from amongst those nominated.

The size of the IFLA/CLM Advisory Committee consists of 10 members, including the Chair. The Chair of the Advisory Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression, of the eLending Working Group, and of the WIPO SCCR Delegation also attend, alongside the IFLA Secretary General (or his representative).

The Governing Board will appoint the members of the Advisory Committee and successful nominees will be informed by May 2019 so that they can make arrangements to attend the IFLA World Library and Information Congress in Athens, Greece, August 2019.

Please use only the enclosed nomination form.* 

I am looking forward to receiving your response.

Yours sincerely,

Gerald Leitner
Secretary General

*Nomination forms, including supporting information, were dispatched to all voting Members of IFLA on 6 November 2018.