Open Access, Public Access, Meaningful Access: Libraries heard at WSIS Forum and Human Rights Council

IFLA’s presence at the World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2017 and the 35^th Session of the Human Rights Council allowed delegates to hear the library perspective on three aspects of access – open (free for users), public (Internet access in libraries) and meaningful (ensuring that people have the skills necessary to make information useful).

Promoting Open Access

IFLA has advocated for open access to research publications since the early 2000s, arguing that this is key to ensuring that the benefits of science and innovation can spread to the largest possible number of people. When work is produced by public institutions, or using public money, the argument for open access is all the stronger.