[A2k] Many countries, one goal: Access to Knowledge

[Teresa Hackett (eIFL)]

Many countries, one goal: Access to Knowledge

PRESS RELEASE
April 15, 2008

Advocacy for Access to Knowledge: copyright and libraries
eIFL-IP global conference, Istanbul, Turkey, 4-5 April 2008

Istanbul is the only city in the world to straddle two continents,
Europe and Asia. Separated by the Bosphorus Strait, a major trading
route, the historic city combines two distinct traditions reflected in
the architectural masterpieces of the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sofia.
Istanbul was chosen for its strategic location for the first global
conference of eIFL copyright librarians. Participants from forty eIFL
member countries in Africa, central, eastern and south-east Europe, the
Middle East, former Soviet Union, Mongolia and south-east Asia spent two
days updating their knowledge and sharing experiences on the policy and
practice of copyright law.

=93This was the first time that everyone met as a group=94, said Teresa
Hackett, eIFL-IP Programme Manager. =93Of course, there are regional and
national differences, but as librarians we have one common goal, to
provide access to knowledge to the students, researchers, professionals
and citizens who use our libraries. This means that we must ensure that
there is a balance between copyright protections and access to
copyrighted works=94.

The first day focused on practical issues faced by librarians in their
daily work, such as copyright and library services and the role of
copyright in digitisation projects. The second day looked at
international policy issues and advocacy, especially recent developments
at the UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva.

=93The influence of U.S. copyright law goes far beyond its shores=94,
commented Jonathan Band, legal counsel for the U.S. based Library
Copyright Alliance. =93Librarians in developing and transition countries
who find themselves confronted with the possibility of higher standards
of copyright protections through bi-lateral trade agreements, for
example, should know about the U.S. doctrine of fair use and insist that
it also be included in their law=94.

One of the modules in the library copyright curriculum being developed
by the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School, in
partnership with eIFL, deals with exceptions and limitations. The draft
curriculum was presented by Berkman Fellow, Melanie Dulong de Rosnay to
gather comments and feedback from the community.

The conference was characterised by questions and lively discussion and
everyone - participants and speakers - learnt from each other.

=93I gained an extraordinary insight into the problems faced by colleagues
in developing nations and countries in transition. There is a real need
for librarians working in often extremely difficult contexts, to know
more about the practical application of copyright as an enabler, rather
than a barrier, to access. Librarians working with the copyright
framework in the most developed systems would find themselves challenged
in such circumstances=94, said Laurence Bebbington, Law Librarian and
Information Services Copyright Officer at the University of Nottingham
in the UK.

=93The presentation on international policy developments added a new
dimension to IP issues for me=94, said Aleksandra Xhamo, Albania. =93In the
coming days, I will share the knowledge gained from the conference with
the library community during Armenian Library Week=94, commented Hasmik
Galstyan, Armenia. Awa Ndoye from Senegal said =93This was my first
eIFL-IP conference, and it gave me a new perspective on copyright and
libraries. I strongly believe in the development of libraries and in
protecting library interests=94.

"I have known eIFL for a couple of years and have witnessed the
significant development of its activities at the international level in
particular=94, said Ahmed Abdel Latif, Programme Manager - Intellectual
Property at the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable
Development (ICTSD). =93Through eIFL, librarians from developing and
transition countries have played an important part in discussions on a
Development Agenda for WIPO, demonstrating their role as effective
stakeholders in Geneva and beyond=94.

eIFL.net is grateful to the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation for supporting the eIFL-IP global conferences in 2008 and 2009.


Further information:

Rima Kupryte, Director
Electronic Information for Libraries (eIFL)
c/o ADN Kronos, Piazza Mastai 9
00153 Rome, Italy
Tel: +(39)(06)5807216/17
E-mail: info AT eifl.net
http://www.eifl.net/

Notes for Editors

eIFL.net

eIFL.net is an international foundation, which supports national library
consortia in more than forty-five transition and developing countries to
negotiate and advocate for the wide availability of electronic resources
to education, research and professional communities as well as
governmental organisations and civil society. This global network
embraces millions of users in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the former
Soviet Union and the Middle East.

Tides Foundation

Support for the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation grant was
provided by the Stichting eIFL.net Fund of the Tides Foundation,
supporting progressive social change.

http://www.tides.org/