UNESCO to Make its Publications Available Free of Charge as Part of a New Open Access Policy

From a UNESCO News Release:

UNESCO will make its digital publications available free-of-charge with an open license. Following a decision by the Organization’s Executive Board in April, UNESCO has become the first member of the United Nations to adopt such an Open Access policy for its publications. The new policy means that anyone will be able to download, translate, adapt, distribute and re-share UNESCO publications and data without paying.
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By adopting this new publishing policy, UNESCO aligns its practice to its advocacy work in favor of Open Access and strengthens its commitment to the universal access to information and knowledge.
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Starting from July 2013, hundreds of downloadable digital UNESCO publications will be available to users through a new Open Access Repository with a multilingual interface. All new publications will be released with an open license. UNESCO will also seek ways to apply it retroactively, i.e. to works already published.. If UNESCO enters into special agreements with publishing partners the Open Access policy need not apply. Co-publishers will be strongly encouraged to adhere to the requirements of the new policy.

Read the Complete Announcement
See Also: Full Text of UNESCO Open Access Policy (3 pages; PDF)
See Also: Learn More About UNESCO Publications and UNESCODOC
Hat Tip and Thanks: @mattrweaver

Filed under: Companies (Publishers/Vendors), Data Files, News, Open Access, Patrons and Users, Publishing