SPARC Europe

SPARC Europe

SPARC Europe

The Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC), an alliance of research libraries, library organisations and research institutions that supports increased competition in scientific journal publishing (www.arl.org/sparc), and LIBER, the principal association of the major research libraries of Europe (www.kb.dk/liber ), announce the launch of SPARC Europe. Delegates at this year' LIBER annual meeting in London voted unanimously for LIBER to serve as the umbrella organisation for SPARC Europe, which will facilitate competition in the European scientific journals marketplace and introduce advocacy initiatives tailored to the European research and library communities.

Several national organisations and institutions in Europe are joining with LIBER to sponsor the start-up of SPARC Europe, including: the Consortium of University Research Libraries (CURL) in the UK; the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) in the UK; the Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL) of the UK and Ireland; and UKB, The Netherlands co-operative of research libraries, in collaboration with IWI, the SURF Foundation program for innovation in scientific information supply. Support of additional national and pan-European organisations is being sought by SPARC Europe.

SPARC Europe will collaborate with the international SPARC organisation based in Washington, DC, but will develop Europe-focused initiatives under the direction of a European managing board and a Europe-based program officer. European membership base, including a number of current SPARC members, will support this work. Membership in SPARC Europe is open to national and academic libraries, library organisations and research institutions in the region.

Source: News release