[Irtalk] Call to Action: Sign the Berlin Declaration

Tue Aug 23 14:54:37 SAST 2011

http://www.berlin9.org/about/sign/calltoaction.shtml

The next installment of the prestigious, international Berlin Open Access Conference Series is set to take place in North America for the first time this November. Hosted annually since 2003, the conference series convenes leaders in the science, humanities, research, funding and policy communities around the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and the Humanities. Over 300 leading international research, scientific, and cultural institutions from around the world have signed the declaration. Despite the tremendous progress we've had in advancing Open Access in recent years, you'll notice that the number of signatures from U.S. and Canadian institutions has remained quite small.

In anticipation of the meeting, please join us in recruiting signatures to the declaration from the leaders of your institutions and of the organizations to which you belong. University and college presidents, chancellors, or provosts, as well as the directors of museums, archives, and non-profit organizations, are encouraged to sign the declaration before the Berlin 9 Meeting convenes on November 9th, 2011. The goal is to clearly demonstrate strong support for the declaration in conjunction with the conference, which research funders, policymakers, and other influential communities are expected to attend in force.

The Declaration (available at http://oa.mpg.de/lang/en-uk/berlin-prozess/berliner-erklarung) builds on the significant progress of the Budapest Open Access Initiative, calling for Open Access to knowledge in the humanities as well as in the sciences. It also moves beyond the scope of primary literature, indicating, "open access contributions include original scientific research results, raw data and metadata, source materials, digital representations of pictorial and graphical materials and scholarly multimedia material." Signatories commit to the principle of Open Access as well as to pursuing solutions that advance the Internet "as an emerging functional medium for distributing knowledge."

As ever, we have prepared background and talking points for your use in advancing these conversations. They are online at http://www.berlin9.org/about/sign. The Berlin 9 Web site also features a host of resources including an excellent roadmap painted by the University of Kansas plus slides and audio from recent events.

To express your institution's support for the principles of the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and the Humanities, simply email praesident at gv.mpg.de<mailto:praesident at gv.mpg.de>

Given the robust community awareness and support for Open Access and the growing level of faculty engagement on this side of the Atlantic, the time is ripe for U.S. and Canadian institutions to be more fully represented on this important and visible document. Please join us.

Ina Smith
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