IFLA Council Resolutions

September 5, 1997

The IFLA Executive Board has reviewed the report of the Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (CAIFE) and recommends that it be accepted by the Council. The deliberations of the Committee, the Guest Lectures at the past two General Conferences and the interest shown by the membership in this topic suggest that IFLA establish some continuing mechanism to address this important area of activity.

Resolved, that the IFLA Council recommends that its Executive Board establish a Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression that will advise IFLA on matters of international significance to libraries and librarianship in this area, including, but not limited to:

• Censorship of library materials.

• Ideological, economic, political or religious pressures resulting limitations on access to information in libraries, or restrictions on librarians and other information specialists who provide reference and other information services.

Accepted by Council
5 September 1997
Copenhagen, Denmark

IFLA has for the past several years benefitted from the advice and assistance of a Copyright Adviser who attended relevant meetings where copyright matters were addressed, drafted position papers on behalf of IFLA, and generally represented IFLA's interests with respect to copyright and intellectual property matters. Our success in coordinating IFLA's efforts with a group of copyright specialists in order to represent the interests of librarians and libraries at the WIPO treaty negotiations on copyright and intellectual property matters has raised the question of how IFLA should position itself to address such questions in the future.

Resolved, that the IFLA Council recommends that its Executive Board establish a Committee on Copyright and other Legal Matters that will advise IFLA and its constituent groups with respect to:

• Copyright and Intellectual Property

• Economic and trade barriers to the acquisition of library materials

• Disputed claims of ownership of library materials

• Authenticity of electronic texts

• Subscription and license agreements

• Other legal matters of international significance to libraries and librarianship.

Accepted by Council
5 September 1997
Copenhagen, Denmark