Leading Library, Archives, and Museum Organisations Call on WIPO to Help Safeguard Cultural Heritage

From IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions):

With this year’s World Intellectual Property Day focusing on innovation for a green future, IFLA and its partners have come together to call on governments and the World Intellectual Property Organization not to forget the past. An open letter calling for action to ensure that intellectual property laws do not stand in the way of preservation of heritage faced with climate change already has 155 organisational and institutional co-signatories, and 55 individuals. The letter is still open for signatories.

[Clip]

“As the effects of climate change become more common, our heritage will continue to suffer irretrievable losses,” said Winston Tabb, head of the libraries delegation. “Tragically, this is already happening in many countries. These threats to our collective memory can be addressed by making preservation copies; but the global patchwork of inconsistent, nonexistent and inadequate copyright laws stands in the way.”

[Clip]

The attached Open Letter is intended to raise awareness of the need for copyright laws that support, rather than hinder, efforts to preserve the world’s heritage. It calls on WIPO and its Member States to take national and international action, without which heritage institutions will unable to prevent the irretrievable loss of many of the world’s cultural treasures. A way forward must be found to enable the world’s heritage institutions to make and preserve copies of works using all available tools without fear of copyright barriers.

The five organisations behind this effort — the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), the International Council on Archives (ICA), the International Council on Museums (ICOM), Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL), and the Society of American Archivists (SAA)—invite all heritage organizations around the world and other organisations that share our goals to sign this Open Letter, to share it on social media and other communications channels, and to call on their national authorities to support its messages in their engagement at WIPO.

Even as the world responds to immediate crises such as COVID-19, we cannot forget the long-term global threat of climate change.  We must act now to safeguard our heritage.

Read the Complete Announcement 

Direct to Summary of Letter, Details on How to Sign

Direct to Letter

Filed under: Archives and Special Collections, Associations and Organizations, Libraries, News, Preservation