LIBER (Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche) has launched an open consultation to gather feedback on its new Action Plan, designed to assist research libraries in implementing changes based on the European Commission's study on EU copyright and data frameworks. The consultation is open until March 3, 2025, and invites feedback from LIBER members and partners across Europe.
The European Commission’s study, titled 'Improving Access to and Reuse of Research Results, Publications, and Data for Scientific Purposes', is the first comprehensive analysis of how EU legislative frameworks impact research and their alignment with Open Science initiatives. LIBER’s Action Plan aims to address key issues raised in the study to enhance the accessibility and reuse of research data and publications. By supporting EU-level policy reforms and empowering research libraries to guide researchers in navigating these frameworks, LIBER aims to advance the goals of Open Science and increase the impact of European research.
The Action Plan, developed with funding from Knowledge Rights 21, transforms the findings of the European Commission's study into actionable recommendations for research libraries. The plan encourages libraries to mobilize across Europe to implement changes both at the library level and through advocacy at institutional and national levels.
A draft of the Action Plan was created following an expert meeting in November 2024, involving key figures from the LIBER Copyright & Legal Working Group, including co-chairs Susan Reilly (Irish Research e-Library), Alex Fenlon (University of Birmingham), and Judith Ludwig (Technische Informationsbibliothek), along with other legal experts and contributors from across Europe.
The section of the Action Plan concerning data management has been specifically reviewed by co-chairs of LIBER's Research Data Management Working Group, Mari Elisa Kuusniemi (Helsinki University Library) and Elisa Rodenburg (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), alongside other experts in the field.
LIBER encourages stakeholders to review the consultation document and provide their feedback to help refine the final version of the Action Plan. The feedback gathered will be integrated into the final document, which will then be shared with the wider LIBER network. This collective input will help ensure that the Action Plan reflects the practical needs and challenges faced by research libraries and their users across Europe.
LIBER invites anyone interested in improving access to research results and supporting the Open Science movement to participate in the consultation. The feedback collected will be pivotal in shaping the future of research information access in Europe.
To participate in the consultation, review the document 'Improving Access and Reuse of Research Results by Addressing Copyright and Data Legislative & Regulatory Issues – A LIBER Action Plan' and share your input.
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