EIFL

EIFL
Name	EIFL
Formation	1999
Type	Non-profit organization
Headquarters	Based in Europe
Region served	Primarily developing and transition countries
Languages	English

EIFL EIFL is an international not-for-profit organization founded in 1999 that works to enable access to knowledge through libraries in developing and transition countries. It collaborates with libraries, research institutions, donors, and international agencies to negotiate licenses, promote open access, and build capacity in scholarly communication. EIFL operates through thematic programs, advocacy campaigns, and partnerships with prominent foundations and multilateral organizations.

History

EIFL was established in 1999 following initiatives by library consortia and advocacy groups inspired by negotiations involving Electronic Information for Libraries stakeholders, aligning with early digital access movements associated with World Bank, UNESCO, Open Society Foundations, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and regional library networks like Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Nigeria and Association of African Universities. Early milestones included consortium licensing modeled on agreements similar to those pursued by JSTOR, Elsevier, Springer Nature, ProQuest, and Wiley-Blackwell consortia, and policy work paralleling campaigns by SPARC, Public Library of Science, Creative Commons, and Directory of Open Access Journals. EIFL’s trajectory intersected with international dialogues at events such as the World Summit on the Information Society and collaborations with national library systems like British Library, Library of Congress, and regional bodies including European University Association.

Mission and Objectives

EIFL’s mission emphasizes enabling access to knowledge through library-led services, echoing objectives found in initiatives by UNESCO and World Health Organization for knowledge dissemination. Core objectives include advancing open access scholarly publishing in the spirit of Plan S, negotiating affordable licensing similar to efforts by Research4Life and HINARI, strengthening digital library capacity in line with guidance from International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions and fostering copyright reform comparable to campaigns by Creative Commons and Electronic Frontier Foundation. Strategic aims align with capacity-building models used by Open Society Foundations and advocacy frameworks promoted by Oxfam.

Programs and Services

EIFL runs programs for open access, copyright and libraries, library technology, and advocacy, reminiscent of services provided by OCLC, EBSCO Information Services, Internet Archive, Project MUSE, and CrossRef. Services include consortium licensing negotiation akin to arrangements with Elsevier, Taylor & Francis, Wiley, and Springer Nature; training and capacity building paralleling programs by ICAR and INASP; development of institutional repositories reflecting standards from DSpace and OpenAIRE; and legal advocacy similar to interventions by Electronic Frontier Foundation and Global Voices.

Partnerships and Funding

EIFL partners with foundations, consortia, universities, and intergovernmental agencies, collaborating with entities such as Open Society Foundations, World Bank, UNESCO, Ford Foundation, Wellcome Trust, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and national research libraries including British Library and Library of Congress. Funding sources include philanthropic grants, project-based contracts similar to those used by Creative Commons and SPARC, and support from regional consortia like Carolinas Library Consortium and global vendors such as ProQuest when engaged in negotiated access programs. Collaborations extend to standards organizations such as CrossRef and repository platforms like DSpace.

Impact and Evaluation

EIFL’s impact is assessed through metrics comparable to those used by Directory of Open Access Journals, Altmetric, Scopus, and Web of Science for research visibility, and through evaluations akin to assessments by OECD and UNESCO on knowledge access. Reported outcomes include increased institutional repository deposits modeled after successes documented by arXiv and PubMed Central, expanded access to licensed content paralleling Research4Life results, and legislative influence on copyright reforms in jurisdictions following examples set by campaigns led by Creative Commons and Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Governance and Organization

EIFL is governed by a board and led by an executive team working with national library consortia, mirroring governance structures of organizations such as OCLC, ICANN, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, and Library and Information Association. Its organizational model includes thematic program leads, country coordinators similar to roles in UNESCO field offices, and advisory committees with experts from universities like University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Harvard University, and regional research institutions.

Notable Projects and Initiatives

Notable initiatives include open access advocacy campaigns comparable to Plan S, national copyright reform projects reminiscent of efforts by Creative Commons and Electronic Frontier Foundation, institutional repository development following models like DSpace and OpenAIRE, and licensing negotiations analogous to deals conducted by JSTOR. EIFL has supported initiatives in countries with partners such as National Library of Kenya, University of the Western Cape, Makerere University, University of Zagreb, Yerevan State University, and regional consortia across Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe, often coordinating with programs led by UNESCO and foundations like Open Society Foundations and Wellcome Trust.

Category:International non-profit organizations