On 23 and 24 October 2024, KR21’s National Coordinator for Greece, Giorgos Glossiotis, and KR21 Management Committee member Giannis Tsakonas hosted a vibrant two-day event, drawing together librarians, policymakers, and advocates. The event focused on the future of Secondary Publishing Rights, e-books in libraries, rights retention, and the broader goal of enhancing access to academic and research resources.
The discussions emphasised the legal changes needed to allow Greek libraries, academic institutions, and researchers to fully contribute to social and economic development, as well as the required shifts in cultural attitudes toward open access.
The overarching goal? To boost social and economic growth by ensuring knowledge flows freely and widely within Greece and beyond.
Day 1: Exploring Open Science and Access at the 30th Panhellenic Academic Libraries Conference
The first day, held at the 30th Panhellenic Academic Libraries Conference, kicked off with an interactive workshop, “Intellectual Property, Open Science, Access to Knowledge and Information: Towards a New Model for Research and Academic Libraries.” With around 30 librarians from Greece and Cyprus in attendance, the room was alive with discussion about current EU and Greek legal frameworks and how these impact open access initiatives.
KR21’s action plan for Greece was met with interest, especially as Giorgos and Giannis unpacked why the Greek legal landscape urgently needs to be updated. The attendees agreed: the current environment isn’t welcoming to open access, giving it a low rating of 3.8 out of 10 in a live poll. Barriers, like lack of policy, legal uncertainty, and a shortage of coordinated support, make it tough for librarians to engage with policymakers.
However, the workshop ignited optimism, as participants connected with new allies committed to advocating for Secondary Publishing Rights and broader pro-open access changes. Librarians voiced their desire to work closely with policymakers, legislators, and the public to achieve a truly supportive ecosystem for knowledge sharing. In fact, the demand for this session was so strong that there are plans to hold another one in the near future, with a special focus on Health and Hospital Libraries.
Day 2: Engaging Policymakers in Athens
On the second day, the event moved to central Athens for a meeting with Members of the Greek Parliament. For two hours, Giorgos and Giannis shared KR21’s vision, carefully tailored to address the Greek context. Each MP received a dossier with KR21’s findings and a detailed proposal for adding a Secondary Publishing Right to Greek legislation, enabling Greek researchers to share their work in public, non-profit repositories.
Open Science advocates, representatives from research organizations, libraries, legal experts, and MPs all joined the discussion, enriching the conversation with their perspectives. Follow-up meetings are already in the works to refine the Secondary Publishing Rights proposal and move it towards submission to the Ministry of Culture, which oversees Greek copyright law.
Looking Ahead
Reflecting on the event, Giorgos noted the emergence of a stronger network of advocates and experts aligned on advancing open access in Greece. The two-day event has opened new channels for ongoing dialogue, exchange of knowledge, and policy advocacy, creating a foundation for a sustained community of support for knowledge access and secondary publishing rights in Greece.
As Giorgos and Giannis look forward, it’s clear that the journey has only just begun. The next steps will involve strengthening this network, working together across sectors, and advocating persistently for the changes needed to allow Greek libraries to thrive in today’s digital age.
15 November 2024
