IFLA Statement on Open Access to Scholarly Literature and Research Documentation (2003), International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)

What is this about?

The IFLA Statement on Open Access to Scholarly Literature and Research Documentation (2003) sets out international expectations for open science and open access, providing practical guidance for researchers, institutions, funders, publishers, and policymakers. It frames openness as the default, tempered by ethics, privacy, intellectual property, and security, and promotes equitable, global access to knowledge. The document emphasizes open access to publications through trusted repositories, preferred licensing such as Creative Commons, use of persistent identifiers, and FAIR data principles supported by data management plans. Responsibilities are outlined for authors, institutions, and funders, including rights retention, transparent waivers for embargoes, and investment in shared infrastructure. Assessment prioritizes quality of openness, including metadata, reproducibility, and code sharing. Equity and inclusion are central, with attention to affordability and multilingual communication. Overall, the statement provides a coherent benchmark and actionable roadmap, aligning local practices with international norms to advance transparency, accountability, and equitable research access.

For whom is this important?

All stakeholders in research

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