IFLA approves Licensing Principles

[Ann Okerson <aokerson@pantheon.yale.edu>]

Of interest for readers of this list.  Ann Okerson (member of the IFLA
licenses working group)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 09:51:10 +0200
From: Josche Neven <Josche.Neven@IFLA.NL>
To: IFLA-L@INFOSERV.NLC-BNC.CA
Subject: IFLA approves Licensing Principles

IFLA approves Licensing Principles

PRESS RELEASE: For immediate release
2 May 2001
IFLA HQ
The Hague, Netherlands


The worldwide marketplace for all types of electronic information
resources is developing rapidly as publishers and vendors creating
electronic information seek to attract libraries of all types (academic,
public, national and special) as their customers. Today, libraries around
the world continue in their role as mediators between users and producers
of information and cultural expression. This role persists even more
energetically, it appears, for electronic information than for print.
 
The use of electronic information everywhere in the world is usually
defined and described by contractual agreements, otherwise known as
licenses. These are marketplace arrangements in which a willing
information provider and a willing purchaser of information access come
together to make arrangements, deal by deal, resource by resource.

IFLA views the licensing arena positively, although key issues remain to
be resolved. In particular, licensing is increasingly responsive to the
complex business arrangements between information providers and library
consortia of different types and sizes. IFLA encourages and supports the
evolution of all types of libraries negotiating as consortia.

Recently IFLA's Executive and Professional Boards approved a set of
Licensing Principles which should prevail in the contractual relationship
and written contracts between libraries and information providers. Aspects
that have been touched upon by these principles include: the law, access,
usage and users, and pricing.

Marianne Scott, Chair of the IFLA Committee on Copyright and other Legal
Matters (CLM) which prepared the text of the Principles, commented:
"Licensing is increasing in importance as a means of gaining access to
commercially available digital information. I am pleased that the library
community world wide now has a set of principles to provide support and
guidance in negotiating these licenses".

The text of the IFLA Licensing Principles is available on IFLANET at
<http://www.ifla.org/V/ebpb/copy.htm>