Teresa Hackett, EIFL’s Copyright and Libraries Programme Manager, reports from the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) copyright committee that met recently in hybrid mode in Geneva 

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF), an annual forum that brings together stakeholders from government, industry and civil society to discuss public policy issues relating to the internet, was held online this year from 2 - 17 November. For 12 days, the IGF 2020 digital platform was buzzing - with a record 6,000 participants from 173 countries. Ramune Petuchovaite, Manager of the EIFL Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP), reports.

In the last week of September, the EIFL Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP) team attended the Occupy Library 2020 conference, organized by the Progress Foundation, a small NGO based in Romania, that has successfully implemented some exciting public library initiatives and projects in the field of education, training, social and digital inclusion and community development. 

South Africa’s Copyright Amendment Bill had been sitting on the desk of President Cyril Ramaphosa for over a year, waiting to be signed into law. But instead of signing the bill, the President returned it to parliament citing constitutional concerns with certain aspects, including new exceptions for libraries, education and persons with disabilities. If enacted, the bill would have helped teaching, learning and research during COVID-19 lockdowns. Instead South Africans are forced to struggle under the current, outdated law. EIFL guest blogger Denise R.

Since the EIFL Copyright and Libraries Programme (EIFL-IP) was launched 15 years ago, it has had some remarkable achievements, gained international recognition and staff have won awards. Jean Fairbairn, of EIFL, asked Programme Manager Teresa Hackett about the programme’s past and present, and hopes for the future. 

JF - What inspired the launch of the EIFL Copyright and Libraries Programme?

Teresa Hackett, Manager of the EIFL Copyright and Libraries Programme, reports on an unusual five days at WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization).

In 2018, the EIFL Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP) and the Namibia Library and Archives Service (NLAS), which leads a network of 66 public libraries, staffed by over 260 librarians, entered into partnership to strengthen continuous professional development of public librarians in Namibia. The partnership developed the skills and knowledge of 16 talented public librarians, positioning them to become expert trainers for their colleagues.

In Part II of this two-part blog, EIFL Copyright and Libraries Programme Manager Teresa Hackett examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of the right to research through two key issues, text and data mining and digital preservation by cultural heritage institutions, and how WIPO’s proven formula could address the issues.

June was a busy month for the LIBSENSE Initiative - a collaborative space through which libraries and research and education networks (RENs) are advancing open access and open science in Africa.

In Part I of this two-part blog, EIFL Copyright and Libraries Programme Manager Teresa Hackett looks at the immediate challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has posed for the copyright and licensing framework as education moves online.