Webinar Recordings
2026
Closed Licences, Closed Doors: Open Licensing, AI, and the Future of Research Impact
This joint webinar from Europe PMC, partners of EMBL-EBI, and Knowledge Rights 21 (KR21) tackled one of the most pressing questions in research publishing today: as concern grows about research outputs being used to train generative AI tools, some authors are turning to more restrictive licences. But does restricting your licence actually stop AI from using your work, or does it simply close the door on the collaborations driving innovation? Through two compelling case studies, Open Targets, a pioneering public-private drug target identification tool, and the COVID-19 pandemic response, where licensing frameworks shaped who could access and act on critical research, the webinar showed how open licensing can directly shape scientific discovery. A panel discussion and Q&A explored how copyright and the licences attached to your research can determine its real-world impact in an increasingly AI-driven research landscape.
🔗 Download the presentation slides
A must-watch for:
- Understanding what Creative Commons licences mean in practice for research publishing, as open access mandates from international funders continue to grow
- Seeing real-world evidence, through Open Targets and the COVID-19 response, of how open licensing drives scientific discovery and innovation
- Exploring whether restrictive licences actually prevent AI use, or simply limit research impact and collaboration
- Hearing from experts across publishing, intellectual property, and research infrastructure on how licensing choices shape who can access and act on critical knowledge
Speakers:
- Dr. Bastian Drees – Head of Office for Scientific Information Management, EMBL
- Melissa Harrison – Literature Services Team Leader, Europe PMC Lead
- Dr. David Hulcoop – Executive Director of Open Targets
- Dr. Kiera McNeice – (speaking in a personal capacity) Research Transparency Manager, Cambridge University Press
- Dr. Summer Rosonovski – Community Outreach Senior Officer, Europe PMC
- Dr. Benjamin White – Centre for Intellectual Property Policy & Management, Bournemouth University | KR21
Enabling Libraries, Guaranteeing Rights: A Legal Checklist for the Digital Age
This webinar marked the launch of Safeguard Access, Empower Europe: An Action Plan to Let Libraries be Libraries, Knowledge Rights 21's bold new roadmap for restoring libraries' rights in the digital age. From restrictive licences and unfair contracts to digital locks and outdated copyright rules, KR21 lays out 9 concrete actions the EU and national governments must take, and makes the case for why the time to act is now.
🔗 Download the KR21 Library Action Plan (PDF)
A must-watch for:
- Understanding how libraries are being stripped of their right to function in a digital age
- Discovering KR21's 9-step action plan to end market mismatch and modernise copyright
- Exploring the Our Future Memory campaign: a reminder of what libraries exist to do, and what's at stake if we don't protect their mission
- Hearing voices from the field: Finland, Ireland, Italy, and Cyprus
- Learning how librarians and advocates can use KR21's action plan as a practical toolkit
Speakers:
- Beatrice Murch | Internet Archive Europe
- Mina Charalambous | Cyprus Library Association
- Anna Tuomikoski | The National Library of Finland, National eLibrary
- Cathal McCauley | Maynooth University
- Deborah De Angelis | KR21 National Coordinator for Italy
Moderation: Stephen Wyber | KR21 Programme Lead/IFLA
2025
Can the ERA Act Help Reach 100% Open Access?
This webinar explored the critical question: “Can the ERA Act Help Reach 100% Open Access?” The event concludes SPARC Europe’s campaign, supported by KR21, to accelerate Europe’s shift to full Open Access, “Getting to 100% Open Access” (#OA100).
A must-watch for:
- ERA Act essentials: context, politics, and policy
- How it can transform European research through openness, collaboration, and innovation
- Why researchers need a seat at the table
Speakers:
- ERA Act: Policy Context – Stephen Wyber, KR21/IFLA
- Key Areas where EU-Level Action is Needed to Support Open Science, including 100% Open Access
- Iva Melinščak Zlodi, SPARC Europe/KR21
- Alex Fenlon, LIBER
Moderation: Vanessa Proudman – SPARC Europe
How to Address the e-Lending Problem – Competition and Copyright Law Perspectives
This webinar with authors Dr. Kenneth Barr, Dr. Magali Eben, Matteo Frigeri, and Prof. Martin Kretschmer from the CREATe Centre, University of Glasgow, accompanies the launch of a new KR21-commissioned study: “e-Books: Evidence and Analysis of e-Lending Markets in Europe – Competition and Copyright Law Perspectives.”
A must-watch to:
- Understand the seven potential abuses of market power identified in e-Lending markets.
- Discover three key areas for policy intervention that can unlock sustainable e-Lending and ensure equitable access to culture and knowledge.
- Grasp why this undermines libraries’ core function in the 21st century, and negatively impacts everyone’s ability to acquire knowledge.
Speakers:
- Prof. Martin Kretschmer – Project overview
- Dr. Kenneth Barr – e-Lending market study
- Dr. Magali Eben – Competition law analysis
- Prof. Martin Kretschmer/Matteo Frigeri – Copyright law solutions
Rapporteur:
- Dr. Konrad Gliściński – Centrum Cyfrowe | Faculty of Law and Administration, Jagiellonian University, Poland
Moderation: Ben White – KR21
Wrong Question, Wrong Answer? Time to Rescope the Debate on AI Regulation
This webinar was a lively discussion on finding a positive way forward to think about AI regulation beyond the fixation on copyright as a regulatory tool. Hear from experts of the Center for Data Innovation, Bruegel, and the Lisbon Council, and learn about KR21’s perspective.
A must-watch to:
- Understand why Europe’s copyright-first approach to AI regulation is undermining its own competitiveness goals.
- Discover pragmatic options to overcome the current policy standoff.
- Grasp why this isn’t just about AI companies versus creators, but about Europe’s broader research and innovation capacity.
Speakers:
- Ayesha Bhatti – Head of Digital Policy for the UK and EU, Center for Data Innovation
- Bertin Martens – Senior Fellow, Bruegel
- David Osimo – Executive Director, Lisbon Council
- Ben White – CIPPM, Bournemouth University | KR21
Moderation: Stephen Wyber – KR21
(i)SDL Insight | Digital Lending Pathways in Italy, Poland and Spain
This webinar presents the key findings of the KR21-supported (i)SDL Insight project, which explored the current state, barriers, and future potential of (independent) Secure Digital Lending in libraries across Italy, Poland, and Spain.
A must-watch to:
- Learn about the current state of digital lending and (i)SDL in Italy, Poland, and Spain.
- Understand more about the legal, technological, and financial barriers that libraries face when implementing (i)SDL services.
- Get up to speed on how libraries navigate copyright challenges and what support they need to expand digital lending.
Speakers:
- Welcome & Project Introduction – Stephen Wyber (KR21 and IFLA) / Deborah De Angelis (DDA Law Firm, CLAKP, and KR21 Italian National Coordinator)
- (i)SDL Introduction – Dr. Konrad Gliściński (Centrum Cyfrowe and Future Law Lab, Jagiellonian University)
- Presentation of National Survey Results
- Italy – Deborah De Angelis / Silvana Mangiaracina (Dario Nobili Library – Research Area of the CNR, and CLAKP)
- Spain – Daniel Cócera (FESABID)
- Poland – Maja Drabczyk (Centrum Cyfrowe and KR21 Polish National Coordinator)
- Final Remarks – Deborah De Angelis
- Q&A
Moderation: Deborah De Angelis – DDA Law Firm, CLAKP, and KR21 Italian National Coordinator
eBooks Update – Latest from Finland and the United Kingdom
This webinar provides insights on e-Books that you can apply directly to your work and advocacy, featuring leading experts from Finland and the United Kingdom
A must-watch for:
- Real-world insights from Finland’s library-owned national eBook platform.
- The latest UK advocacy developments, including new research and parliamentary engagement.
- Practical strategies for navigating evolving academic eBook markets.
- Fresh advocacy resources and evidence you can use.
Speakers:
- Anna Tuomikoski – Kansalliskirjasto – The National Library of Finland
- Caroline Ball – #ebookSOS / University of Derby
Moderation: Stephen Wyber – KR21
eBooks, eLending & European Copyright Law – A KR21 Study
This webinar explores the new KR21 e-Lending report “e-Books and Secure Digital Lending in European Libraries: Comparative Analysis Under National and International Law”. Get first-hand insights directly from the report’s author: Dr. Konrad Gliściński (Fundacja Centrum Cyfrowe / Jagiellonian University).
A must-watch:
- To learn all about the practical approach the report presents towards enabling e-Lending based on the landmark 2016 Vereniging Openbare Bibliotheken (VOB) ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) that recognised digital lending rights for libraries.
- To get the key insights from this critical comparative analysis of national and international law.
Speakers:
- Dr. Konrad Gliściński – Centrum Cyfrowe / Jagiellonian University
Moderation: Ben White – KR21
Research Outputs and the Open Access Bill: Shaping the Future of Knowledge Sharing
This KR21/SCOIR webinar recording explores the powerful impact of an Irish Research Outputs and Open Access Bill. The Irish SCOIR (‘unharness’ in Irish) initiative on Secondary rights, Copyright, Open Access, Institutional policies, and Rights retention, supported by KR21 and the National Open Research Forum (NORF), aims to unlock knowledge and research.
A must-watch:
- To understand how SCOIR’s Irish draft Research Outputs and Open Access Bill could support and uphold rights of researchers and their employers and funders to publish publicly-funded research outputs on open access platforms.
- To learn about Open Access publishing in Ireland and why this Bill can potentially have a significant impact when implemented.
Speakers:
- Eoin O’Dell – Associate professor of law at Trinity College Dublin; Lead PI for Project SCOIR, Ireland
Moderation: Ben White – KR21
Ten Approaches to Rights Retention in Europe
This SPARC Europe/KR21 webinar recording explores the evolving dynamics of European rights retention policies through the lens of approaches in 10 European countries and the perspectives of expert practitioners and esteemed academics.
A must-watch:
- To get a first glimpse of the findings from the KR21 Project Retain II by our partner SPARC Europe, looking at experiences and practices in 10 European countries.
- To gain insights from expert practitioners and esteemed academics.
Speakers:
- Jon Treadway – Great North Wood Consulting | SPARC Europe
- Christina Angelopoulos – University of Cambridge
- Eoin O’Dell – Trinity College Dublin
- Raúl Aguilera Ortega – Red de Bibliotecas Universitarias y Científicas Españolas (REBIUN)
- Susanna Nykyri – Tampere University
- Victoria Tsoukala – European Commission
Moderation: Iva Melinščak Zlodi – SPARC Europe/KR21
2024
What Next for Researchers in Europe?
This KR21 webinar recording gets you up to speed on the May 2024 European Commission study identifying copyright and other barriers faced by the European research sector.
A must-watch:
- To get a better understanding of secondary publishing rights for researchers and the need to ensure access to publicly funded research
- To acknowledge the case for a flexible open research exception in EU copyright law
- To explore ways in adressing barriers around licensing, technical protection measures, and data sharing for AI and other advanced research
Speaker: Our guest was one of the co-authors of the study, Caterina Sganga, Professor of Comparative Private Law, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa, Italy.
Copyright Barriers to Preserving European Culture
This KR21 webinar recording explores the challenges of technological protection measures (TPMs) for cultural heritage preservation, research and access to knowledge, which are set out in a new ground-breaking three-part report for KR21.
A must-watch:
- To gain insights into the legal and technical barriers that knowledge institutions face when preserving and allowing the use of digital content
- To learn about the weaknesses of the EU legal framework
- To discover how the EU and European governments should amend copyright law to ensure future generations have accessible digital history
Speaker: Our guest was Professor Kristofer Erickson (CREATe, University of Glasgow), one of the co-authors of this ground-breaking three-part report for KR21 on TPMs.
Moderation: Ben White – KR21
Rights Retention: Emerging Differences in Policies Across Europe
This SPARC Europe/KR21 webinar recording explores the emerging differences in rights retention policies across Europe in the context of the KR21 Retain project.
A must-watch:
- To gain insights from European practitioners
- To learn how different legislative and policy environments lead to different approaches
- To discover strategies for implementing rights retention policies to advance open access
- To hear the latest findings from project Retain II
Speakers:
- Ginevra Peruginelli – IGSG-CNR, Italy
- Mojca Kotar – University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Sarah Thompson – University of York, UK
- Jon Treadway – Great North Wood Consulting | SPARC Europe
Moderation: Vanessa Proudman – SPARC Europe/KR21
The AI Orphan? Protecting Science & Research in an AI Debate Dominated by the Entertainment Industry
In this webinar, our expert speakers outlined several of the pressures publicly funded institutions and researchers face in the current AI environment and suggested a pragmatic way forward. A must-watch to:
- grasp how the entertainment industry is mounting pressure on policy makers to restrict AI
- understand the research sector’s perspective on AI regulation
- learn how we can make the European copyright framework more supportive of scientific research
- discover strategies for reversing Europe’s current approach, which is set to promote bias and poor model prediction
Speakers:
- Clemens Neudecker – Researcher, Project Manager and Library hacker at Berlin State Library
- Rachael Samberg – Director, Scholarly Communication & Information Policy at Berkeley, University of California
- Benjamin White – Co-founder of Knowledge Rights 21
Exploring the Ongoing EC Study on Copyright in Distance Education and Research
This webinar recording gets you up to speed on an ongoing study (2024) for the European Commission titled “Copyright in distance education and research: exploring the role of copyright in facilitating access to digital collections of libraries and other public interest institutions.” A must-watch to:
- hear about the study’s objectives and timeline
- learn how to contribute your experiences
- gain insights on potential policy implications
Speakers:
- Audronė Sadauskaitė – Visionary Analytics, lead partner of the research consortium
Scientific Innovation & Growth—What Should the EU Do in Its 2024-29 Mandate to Support Research?
KR21 webinar with key thinkers sharing their perspectives on how the European Union can move up a gear under the next mandate (2024-29). This event marked the launch of the ‘KR21 EU Action Plan: Knowledge for a Stronger Europe‘.
A must-watch to:
- understand how laws and technologies regulate access to information and data
- learn how to optimally support science and research in the post-European election landscape
- develop ideas for assessing the research-friendliness of domestic frameworks
- gain insights on balancing information access and reuse in policy discussions
Speakers:
- Keynote by Michael Arentoft, Head of Unit, Open Science and Research Infrastructures, DG RTD, European Commission
- Panel 1 | A Better Deal for the Information Economy 2024-2029 – The View from Think Tanks & KR21
- Gerard Oosterwijk (FEPS, Foundation for European Progressive Studies)
- Maria Alesina (ELF, European Liberal Forum)
- Ben White (KR21)
- Panel 2 | The Institutional Perspective on How to Better Support the Information and Technology Regulatory Environment to Support Scientific Advancements and Growth
- Vinciane Gaillard (EUA, European University Association)
- Lidia Borrell-Damián (Science Europe)
- Ole Petter Ottersen (The Guild)
Moderation: Stephen Wyber – KR21
The European eBook Ecology
This KR21 webinar held on 12 April 2024 explored the dynamics around eBooks, gave us insights on eLending (with a focus on Spain), and discussed policy developments in Germany. A must-watch:
- To understand why authors care about access to eBooks through libraries
- To learn about the latest eBook research in Spain and its broader implications
- To get up to speed on where we stand on the ambitions of the German coalition agreement
Speakers:
- Dave Hansen – Executive Director, Authors Alliance
- Ariadna Matas – Policy Advisor, Europeana Foundation and Member of the Libraries and Copyright group at the Spanish Library Association (FESABID)
- Mathias Schindler – Knowledge Manager and investigative researcher, Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte e.V., Germany
Normalising Open Norms? – Findings From the CIPPM Study
- To grasp the power and potential of open norms to achieve a wide range of policy goals, from fostering innovation to bolstering the creative industries
- To reflect on how we can do copyright differently
- To envisage ways to uphold and strengthen the interests and rights of users
- Prof. Dinusha Mendis – Professor of IP & Innovation Law & CIPPM Director
- Benjamin White – PhD Researcher at CIPPM
- Dr. Dukki Hong – Lecturer in Law & CIPPM member
New Legislative Developments in Support of Open Science – Bulgaria and Slovenia
- How intellectual property barriers to open access are being overcome;
- How good governmental strategy can promote open science;
- Provide insights into the Slovenian law, which requires immediate open access and licensing of majority publicly funded materials based on legal requirements mandating rights retention; and,
- Examine the new law in Bulgaria, which prevents contracts with publishers from overriding rights retention and the republication of publicly funded articles in open access repositories.
2023
Harmonising Zero Embargo Initiatives: Challenges in Europe and Beyond
This KR21-LIBER webinar held on 14 November 2023 took a deep dive into the prospect of a zero embargo model by:
- exploring initiatives and barriers to harmonise secondary publishing rights (SPR) legislation;
- examining how SPR legislation can go from a national to an international level so that publicly funded research output will be shared openly and without any embargo period; and,
- providing insights on how SPR can enable the immediate access to research findings, the course of action needed to get there, and identify which stakeholders must act.
Access to Knowledge – A Matter of Equity
Watch this 19 September 2023 webinar to hear about the Knowledge Equity Network (KEN) a new international initiative committed to reducing inequalities through increased access to knowledge. During this event we notably looked at how the Declaration on Knowledge Equity supports the cause for open access to knowledge, linking this in particular to the focus of the work of Knowledge Rights 21 on regulatory reform to benefit education and research.
Speakers:
- Masud Khokhar – University Librarian and Keeper of the Brotherton Collection (University of Leeds) and Chair of Research Libraries UK (RLUK)
- Antonio Martínez-Arboleda – Professor of Open and Digital Education, Knowledge Equity Network and Co-director of the Centre for Digital Research in Education
- Martine Pronk – Executive Director at LIBER Europe
Moderator: Ben White – KR21
Enabling the reuse of the scholarly publication: modus operandi et modus desiderandi
In this webinar, you will learn about the preliminary findings of two KR21 projects, Project Zero on secondary publishing rights and Project Retain on rights retention, and how they help pave the way to Open Access. We invite the community of research libraries to open a dialogue among Open Science stakeholders about the options, good practices, lessons learnt, challenges and impact of two legal instruments: Secondary Publishing Rights (SPR) and Rights Retention and Open Licensing. Our expert speakers share valuable insights and real-world examples of how these mechanisms have been applied around Europe.
Presenters:
- Kyriaki Zoutsou – PhD Candidate, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Project Zero)
- Jon Treadway – Director, Great North Wood Consulting (Project Retain)
Additional Panelists:
- Giannis Tsakonas – Director at the Library at the University of Patras & Vice-President of LIBER (Project Zero)
- Ignasi Labastida i Juan – Rector Delegate for Open Science, University of Barcelona & Chair, SPARC Europe Board (Project Retain)
Chair: Vanessa Proudman – Director, SPARC Europe
Flexible Copyright Exceptions (Webinar #2): What can we in Europe learn from the US?
Speakers
- Sara R Benson JD, LLM, MSLIS – Copyright Librarian and an associate professor at the University of Illinois Library
- Melissa Levine – Director of the University of Michigan Library’s Copyright Office
- Derek Slater – Founding Partner at Proteus Strategies
Flexible Copyright Exceptions (Webinar #1): The Next Step for Europe?
This webinar brought together legal scholars from National Chengchi University (Taiwan), King’s College London and Bournemouth University (UK) to focus on flexible copyright exceptions from the perspective of civil law jurisdictions, with a particular focus on Japan, Taiwan and Europe.
Speakers
- Professor Emily Hudson – Reader in Law, King’s College London
- Professor Chung-Lun Shen – Associate Dean and Distinguished Professor at College of Law, National Chenchi University, Taiwan
- Benjamin White – PhD researcher, Centre for Intellectual Property Policy & Management, Bournemouth University
Chair: Felix Reda – Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte (Society for Civil Rights)
2022
How Do We Fix eBook Markets? A Discussion on the Future of Libraries and Authorship
This webinar discussed the eBook crisis libraries, educators and authors face with international thought leaders in the sector. Exploring the many issues that have arisen as collections are increasingly leased and not owned, the session took the form of a wide-ranging interview and discussion with our panelists. See more in our announcement of the webinar.
Speakers
- Caroline Ball – Co-founder of eBookSOS / Academic Librarian, University of Derby / Trustee, WikimediaUK
- Mikkel Christoffersen – Chief Consultant, Copenhagen Libraries
- Dave Hansen – Executive Director, Authors Alliance
- Cathal McCauley – President of the Library Association of Ireland / University Librarian, Maynooth University
Moderator: Ben White – CIPPM, Bournemouth University
Book Digitisation, Online Access and Lending: What Infrastructure is Needed for Success?
This webinar brought together practitioners from the California Institute of Technology, Boston Public Library and Project ReShare, and focused on the library workflows, software and infrastructures involved in digitising books and providing access to patrons.
Presentations:
- Controlled Digital Lending – What Does It Look Like, by Allen Jones – Director of Digital Libraries & Technical Services, The New School
- CalTech DIBS Digital Borrowing System, by Tommy Keswick – Digital Technologies Development Librarian, California Institute of Technology
- The Future of the Book and Digital Access, by David Leonard – President. Boston Public Library
The Empty Library? The Urgency of Solutions to Unsustainable eBook Markets
This webinar explored the challenges faced by libraries in different parts of Europe in acquiring and giving access to eBooks, how they are advocating for change, and the possibilities under law to find a more sustainable path forwards.
The #ebookSOS campaign in Ireland, by Cathal McCauley – University Librarian, Maynooth University and President of the Library Association of Ireland
Struggling for legally based e-lending, by Barbara Schleihagen – Executive Director, German Library Association
Legal Solutions to the eBook Dilemma: Enabling libraries to act as libraries, by Benjamin White -Chair of LIBER’s Copyright and Legal Matters Working Group, researcher at Bournemouth University’s Centre for Intellectual Property Policy & Management
KR21 Programme presentation by Stephen Wyber