ANNOUNCING: A Forum on Improving Access to Publicly Funded Research

The leadership of research universities and other research institutions will convene in Washington, DC, on Friday, October 20, to consider “Improving Access to Publicly Funded Research: Policy Issues and Practical Strategies.”

This one-day forum is sponsored by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), and the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC). The forum will take place on the day following the ARL Membership Meeting.

The morning program sessions will examine policy issues with a focus on improving access to scientific research. Speakers will address emerging government policies, motivations of funding agencies and scientists, and the challenges that the research and academic communities face as new policies are implemented. The afternoon program consists of two panels on practical solutions for implementing new policies: models for engaging and supporting faculty to improve access to their own research, and new tools and economic models that libraries are using to foster institutional publishing programs.

Speakers include: • Heather Joseph, Executive Director, SPARC • John Vaughn, Executive Vice President, Association of American Universities • Sudip Parikh, Professional Staff Member, Senate Appropriations Committee • Norka Ruiz Bravo, Deputy Director for Extramural Research, National Institutes of Health • Michael J. Kurtz, Astronomer and Computer Scientist, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics • Samuel Kaplan, Professor & Chair, Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Medical School at Houston • James V. Maher, Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor, University of Pittsburgh • Ann Wolpert, Director of Libraries, Massachusetts Institute of Technology • John Ober, Director, Education and Strategy, California Digital Library • Sarah E. Thomas, University Librarian, Cornell University • Nancy L. Eaton, Dean, University Libraries, Pennsylvania State University • Catherine Candee, Director, Publishing and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Scholarly Communication, California Digital Library • David Shulenburger, Vice President of Academic Affairs, National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges

The program is designed for an audience representative of all of the communities within university and research institutions, especially senior decision makers and policy advocates. This includes provosts and vice presidents for research and academic affairs, legislative affairs officers, directors of research libraries and senior library managers, and CIOs and other senior information technology managers.

The registration deadline is September 29, 2006. The fee is $275 for each individual from ARL, SPARC, and CNI institutions; $350 for others.

The meeting will be held at the Washington Marriott Hotel, 1221 22nd Street, NW, Washington, DC, on Friday, October 20, 8:30 a.m.–4:45 p.m.

For more information and to register, see http://www.arl.org/forum06/

Diane Goldenberg-Hart Communications Coordinator Coalition for Networked Information 21 Dupont Circle, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 202-296-5098 202-872-0884 (Fax) diane@cni.org