CLA Open Access Resolution (fwd)

From: Stevan Harnad <harnad_at_ecs.soton.ac.uk>
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 11:02:58 +0100

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 19 Jun 2005 06:53:10 -0400
From: SOA list manager <soalmgr_at_arl.org>
To: SPARC Open Access Forum <SPARC-OAForum_at_arl.org>
Subject: CLA Open Access Resolution


A Resolution on Open Access was endorsed by the Canadian Library Association
on Friday, June 17. The text of the resolution is as follows:

A Resolution on Open Access

Whereas connecting users with the information they need is one of a
library's most essential functions, and access to information is one of
librarianship's most cherished values; and

Whereas scholars and funders of research desire to share their research
results and enhance the impact of their research; and

Whereas the scholarly publishing industry has been experiencing a cycle of
price increases above inflation rates, leading to library cancellations,
leading to further price increases, and so forth, with no relief in sight,
and has thus negatively impacted access to research; and

Whereas the Open Access alternative involves making peer-reviewed scholarly
journal articles freely available over the web through open access journals
and/or author self-archiving; and

Whereas the concept of Open Access can be applied to other types of
materials besides scholarly journal articles, for example government
publications and digital collections; and

Whereas Canadian librarians and faculty are leaders in the Open Access
movement, as exemplified by the Public Knowledge Project at UBC, and the
participation of CARL (Canadian Association of Research Libraries) in SPARC
(Scholarly Publishing and Research Coalition); and

Whereas the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) and the
World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) have declared support for
Open Access;

Be it resolved that the CLA formally declare its commitment to Open Access
by signing the Budapest Open Access Initiative, and the Berlin Declaration
on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities; and

Be it resolved that CLA implement Open Access as expeditiously as possible,
and CLA Executive Council report back to the next Annual General Meeting
with regards to progress.


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Received on Thu Jun 23 2005 - 11:02:58 BST