Helping safeguard Open Access and Open Science from the current Copyright Directive 
One year ago, German MEP Julia Reda reported at the LIBER Conference on the potential threat to libraries of the EU’s current copyright directive proposal. In response, in July of last year, SPARC Europe began collaborating with a coalition of partners, coordinating a lobbying effort targeting the European Parliament and Council. Our primary concerns: ensuring that a link tax in Article 11 does not impede access to open research, and safeguarding our repositories from new rules laid out in Article 13. 

Read about how our efforts are paying off. 

European Open Education Librarian Network launches
28 Jun 2018 saw the convening of the first meeting of the European Open Education Librarian Network. Participants from Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and the UK met to discuss how libraries can partner with educators to open up more education for all in Europe. Much of the network's focus will be on OE policy, advocacy and implementation.

Find out more about the network. 

Equity to be the main theme of International Open Access Week 2018
When OA Week kicks off on 22 October 2018, the focus will be “designing equitable foundations for open knowledge.” As Nick Shockey, SPARC’s Director of Programs and Engagement, wrote in a blog post that made the initial announcement, “the theme reflects a scholarly system in transition.” Momentum around development and adoption of open policies and practices is gaining within governments, universities, funders, publishers and scholars. But questions remain around how to apply these policies and practices, and how to ensure that the new open systems currently being developed will be inclusive of a global and diverse community.

The intent of OA Week 2018 will be to engage the global community in this challenging issue, to encourage new thinking and ideas. 

Read more about Open Access Week 2018. 

Exclusive OpenCon 2018 discount being offered to SPARC Europe Members
On 2 November 2018, the flagship meeting of the OpenCon community will kick off in Toronto. The event, which draws together leading early career academic professionals and students from across the world, is intended to catalyze action toward a more open system of research and education. We hope your institution will consider applying to attend the event. 

Scholarships, funded by generous institutions like yours, are offered to select qualified candidates - to ensure equitable global representation at the event. Should you choose to fund a scholarship, as a SPARC Europe member, you are eligible for a $250 discount on the fee. But you’ll need to act quickly as the deadline to apply to attend - and to receive a discount -  is 13 July. 

Find out more about OpenCon 2018. 
Find out more about funding a scholarship.

SPARC Europe to present next week at the LIBER Annual Conference
Next week, the LIBER Annual Conference will convene in Lille, France; SPARC Europe’s director, Vanessa Proudman, will be there presenting on “SCOSS: A Global Sustainability Coalition for Open Science Services.” She will be discussing how library roles are changing and the need for budgets too to evolve and reflect these changes -- and will be making a call to action. She will also refer to a range of business models to support scholarly services and infrastructure. Her presentation will cover the ways libraries, funders and research institutions worldwide are beginning to take collective action to help secure essential Open Science infrastructure, and the need to support these at-risk services through funding using the example of SCOSS.

Learn more about the LIBER Conference via the programme.