Stay up to date with our latest developments, initiatives, and new resources!
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.
Faced with global challenges, the need to promote cooperation and collaboration amongst those looking for solutions is vital. Open science promotes just this. With UNESCO preparing a draft Recommendation on the subject, IFLA has submitted comments.
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.
An important part of the right to health is the right to health information and knowledge. COVID-19 has only underlined this connection. We interviewed María Angélica Fuentes Martínez and Mónica Núñez of the Association of Chilean Librarians to find out more about their involvement in a project to strengthen advocacy around this.
IFLA has released its checklist for legal deposit laws, aiming to help those analysing existing laws or planning new ones. It is intended to ensure that key issues or questions are not forgotten, but rather included in reflections on this key area of legislation for libraries and their users.
IFLA has called for South Africa’s Parliament to return the country’s Copyright Amendment Bill to the President for signature, and to reject the questionable allegations of unconstitutionality made against it.
IFLA took part in the second session of the conversation on Intellectual Property and Artificial Intelligence organised by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on 7-9 July 2020.
There has been disappointing news from Mexico, where recent copyright legislation risks making access to information significantly harder, while also undermining the role of the judiciary and lawmakers. Local libraries and other actors are calling for a constitutional review.
Following years of advocacy in favour of long-overdue copyright reforms, libraries in South Africa will need to wait a while longer for change. Following pressure from foreign governments, the Parliament will now have to reconsider the Copyright Amendment Bill.
IFLA has signed onto the Statement by the International Coalition of Library Consortia on the global COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on library services and resources. To further support members, IFLA's Advisory Committee on Copyright and other Legal Matters has produced principles for use in negotiation with rightholders.
With this year's World Intellectual Property Day focusing on innovation for a green future, IFLA and its partners have come together to call on governments and the World Intellectual Property Organization not to forget the past. An open letter calling for action to ensure that intellectual property laws do not stand in the way of preservation of heritage faced with climate change already has 155 organisational and institutional co-signatories, and 55 individuals. The letter is still open for signatories.
Faced with the urgent need to combat the COVID-19 Pandemic and its consequences, it is vital to ensure that intellectual property laws and practices do not become a blockage. IFLA, working with its partners, has led in drafting an open letter - already signed by over 140 organisations and individuals - to the Director General of WIPO to underline this point and call for action.
The UN agency that manages the global intellectual property system – including copyright – has nominated a new Director General. As the current Chair of the organisation’s copyright committee – and as a modernising reformer nationally – he will bring a strong awareness of the needs of libraries to the role.
This week, the Coordinating Committee of the World Intellectual Property Organization meets to take a provisional decision on a new Director General. Getting the right candidate could provide helpful support for libraries and wider efforts to promote access to information in support of development.
IFLA has shared its comments on a draft issues paper prepared by the World Intellectual Property Organisation about artificial intelligence. These look to ensure that the case for copyright exceptions, the need for preservation, and the broader impact of new rights are all taken into account.
IFLA has joined with over 40 civil society organisations across Europe in calling for the sharing of draft guidelines on the implementation of the controversial upload filter provisions in the Copyright Directive.
Efforts to use trade measures to delay or block long-overdue copyright reforms which will benefit libraries and their users are regrettable. In its comment to a review of South Africa’s enjoyment of preferential trade rules with the United States, IFLA has therefore called for the rejection of a petition seeking to punish the country for taking steps to improve how copyright functions.
In June 2019, the European Union’s new Copyright Directive entered into force. Member States must implement this Directive into their national laws by 7 June 2021. In many, the process is underway - libraries should be involved!