LIBER joins the European Alliance for Research Excellence

Brussels, 20^th April 2021 – The European Alliance for Research Excellence (EARE) is thrilled to welcome LIBER (Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche – Association of European Research Libraries) as the newest member of its coalition. Bringing together 450 national, university and other libraries, LIBER is the voice of Europe’s research library community, making the organisation a natural partner to EARE.

“EARE and LIBER had already been partnering on Text and Data Mining-related issues throughout the debate on the copyright reform. With its membership of the European Alliance of Research Excellence, LIBER hopes to strengthen and build on this cooperation” explained Astrid Verheusen, LIBER’s Executive Director. “The future agenda of EARE is closely aligned with the strategy of LIBER and of LIBER’s Copyright & Legal Matters Working Group, and we look forward to working together with EARE members to create an enabling policy environment for Europe’s research ecosystem”.

LIBER joins EARE members Research Libraries UK, SCONUL (Society of College, National and University Libraries), UCL Library Services and UK Libraries and Archives Copyright Alliance (LACA) to reinforce its library representation, as the coalition refocuses its advocacy efforts on fostering an open data culture at the European-level. EARE membership also includes founding organisations Allied for Startups and BSA | The Software Alliance.

“We are very excited to pursue our partnership with LIBER, especially as the European Commission is implementing its Data Strategy and we increase EARE’s focus on open data” said Benedikt Blomeyer, Director of EU Policy at Allied for Startups. “Today, Europe’s research brings partners from the public and private sector and needs to be represented in Brussels. With LIBER joining us, we are reinforcing EARE’s position as the voice of European researchers & innovators”.