SPARC Europe publishes monthly newsletters to keep the community apprised of our efforts to advance an “Open” agenda in Europe. These digital publications are delivered via email and archived here for reference.
2024
June 2024: The facets of Diamond OA across Europe, a Diamond Open Access Standard, Open Science Monitoring and more
May 2024: Libraries and Diamond OA, Libraries and their OA book policies, Sustaining EOSC beyond 2027, Imagining a world without open infrastructures and more
April 2024: OA books policy Knowledge Base, Advancing Open Education in Europe for the public good and Four reasons to support Open Infrastructures, and more
March 2024: Sustaining the future of Diamond OA, Open Education survey report and SCOSS pledges go well over 6m euros, and more
February 2024: Call for the interests of research and higher education, Institutional publishing in Europe, Reforming academic career assessment, and more
January 2024: SPARC Europe Annual Report, Results are in on institutional publishing landscape report and our Open Education Strategy 2024-26, and more
2023
November 2023: The EOSC Sustainability statement, the most extensive OA policy analysis ever, RDA and Software Heritage join the SCOSS Family, and more
October 2023: A global federation for Diamond Open Access, our Rights Retention campaign, Open Education & more
September 2023: Six new Board Members, new OE policymaking report, OA book policy progress and communities & more
August 2023: Rights retention and open licensing, help shape the future of OA books, apply for an open position at SPARC Europe, and more
June 2023: New report on rights retention and open licensing, vote for Board members, share your OA diamond resources with DIAMAS, and more
May 2023: New critical OS policies from EU Council & G7, open textbooks and Knowledge Equity
April 2023: Shaping the future of OA books, who you are and OA diamond, and rights retention study first results
March 2023: Board nominations, understanding institutional publishing and OA book policymaking, a new OPERAS OA business models report, and more
February 2023: OS policy themes for 2023, A European network of repositories and engaging stakeholders in the future of institutional publishing
January 2023: SPARC Europe Annual Report 2022, a European network of repositories and the SCOSS Expression of Interest
2022
November 2022: SCOSS 4th pledging round, preliminary findings of Project Retain, CoNOSC meeting on research assessment reform, EOSC Financial Sustainability TF progress report just out
October 2022: Copyright for OA, engaging in institional publishing, survey report published on Open Education in libraries of Higher Ed
September 2022: OA Diamond DIAMAS project starts, national programmes for data stewards, vote for the Board & Open Ed policymaking
June 2022: A new European policy for Open Science, supporting copyright reform in Europe & capturing evidence of OER success
May 2022: Librarians, it’s time! CoNOSC meets again and the SCOSS Family: an Open Science Infrastructure Community of Practice
April 2022: Current OS policymaker needs, the French pledge, help us open up education and have an OE coffee
March 2022: You did it! SCOSS hits 4 million euros, CoNOSC is growing, have coffee with Open Education experts
February 2022: The OE Champions showcase launched, monitoring OS policies for new OS normal in Europe and Canada pledges over 250K EUR to the SCOSS’s 3rd round
January 2022: Hot off the press: 2021 SPARC Europe Annual Report, FAIRsFAIR project concludes, February in Paris full of events
2021
November 2021: SPARC Europe’s newest research report published, OSIs in need of funding apply now, and SCOSS’s 2022-2024 strategy released
October 2021: CoNOSC and SPARC Europe to work together, OABN strikes again and An ENOEL Toolkit launched
September 2021: Ready, steady, pledge! Copyright in the 21st century and 1 year of OABN
August 2021: Watch them fly!, summer and Open Education and the community speaks out on OA books.
June 2021: Help us design SCOSS’s future, We have heard it all!, Marin Dacos on something invisible, and a list of upcoming events.
May 2021: Yes, you MAY campaign, interview with Kaitlin Thaney on different shades of open, our OE network’s strategic plan, and a list of upcoming workshops and speaking engagements in May.
April 2021: Update of Open Science policies, interview with Peter Suber, The OA Diamond Journals Study webinar materials released, and a list of upcoming workshops and speaking engagements in May.
March 2021: The OA Diamond Journals Study published; a webinar on copyright for OA; setting the pathway for Open Education and a list of upcoming workshops and webinars.
February 2021: News on the popular webinar hosted on research assessment, actions on how to sustain OA books; a new Community Manager for SPARC Europe, and a list of speaking engagements at events in March.
January 2021: Delivery of the SPARC Europe 2020 Annual Report and publishing our new 4-year strategy; a new Board Member for SPARC Europe, showcasing change in research assessment with DORA and EUA, and a list of speaking engagements at events in Feb.
2020
November 2020: Final cluster of Open Infra interviews are live; introducing The Skim, one-page highlights of SPARC Europe briefings and reports; and a rundown of November events.
October 2020: New report scopes the Open Science Infrastructure landscape in Europe; four new interviews in our 10 key interview series with open infrastructure service providers are published; and the Open Access Books Network launches; and an invitation to join us at a webinar discussing our recent OA Copyright Policy report.
September 2020: New Analysis of Publisher Copyright and Licensing Policies is published; first two of 10 key interviews with open infrastructure service providers released; and the Open Access Books Network launches.
OPEN (inaugural issue), August 2020: New project seeks to examine the institutional change process for academic assessment reform; updated analysis of European Open Science policies is published; deadline extended for Diamond OA Survey; SCOSS gains Middle East presence.
*New publication titled “OPEN” launched August 2020, replacing the previous newsletter, SPARC News.
June 2020: Download our in-depth report on our Open Education landscape survey of libraries of higher education in Europe; a look at how open the current OA and OS landscape is in Europe; SPARC Europe begins work on a new cOAlition S project that paves the way to sustaining Diamond OA; a brief update from LIBER 2020; and a mid-year look at SPARC Europe’s work to date this year.
May 2020: A glimpse at some of the most compelling findings from the recent OER survey; a nudge to help us reach as many OS infra providers as possible with our survey that’s currently underway; a new Open Infra research project is about to get begin; see our response to the UKRI policy consultation; and preparing for LIBER 2020.
April 2020: Checking in with you, our academic library community, about how you’re managing your role as facilitator of Open information during this current crisis; with the Global Sustainability Coalition for Open Science Services (SCOSS) maturing — and well into its second funding cycle — a new website for the initiative has launched; the first results are in from our recent work to better understand the Open Education landscape among European Higher Education libraries.
March 2020: This Special Issue of the newsletter focuses entirely on Open Science and Covid-19. We’ve gathered thoughts and resources to ensure our community is informed and apprised of key movements underway – and poised to keep advancing OS, during this current crisis and beyond.
February 2020: A new SPARC Europe effort to help solidify Open infrastructure launches; download the latest update to our European Open Science Policy review; the initial planning phase begins for our next four-year strategic plan; read our guest blog post on European funders’ Open policies in The Scholarly Kitchen; a reminder for interested services to submit their Expressions of Interest to be considered for the next round of SCOSS funding; and an invitation to our UK supporters to submit your feedback on UKRI’s proposed OA policy so that we can amplify your message.
January 2020: Delivery of the SPARC Europe 2019 Annual Report.
2019
November 2019: A reminder to fill out the new Open Education survey exploring OE practices among academic libraries in Europe; newly-released guidelines to help libraries in transposing the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market; and an invitation to share your thoughts on how and why libraries should be engaging with the European Open Science Cloud.
October 2019:To help explain and provide guidance around the Open Data Directive, SPARC Europe has produced an analysis and coupled it with implementation guidance; see highlights of our recent contribution to a soon-to-be-released FAIRSFAIR policy analysis; 10 key prerequisites to securely funding Open infrastructure; meet the newest members of our Board; and an invitation to subscribe to SCOSS news.
September 2019: Today, the much-anticipated report detailing findings of a first-ever of its kind survey of European funders and examining their policies and practices related to Open is published; SCOSS reaches a new milestone with 1.5 million Euros pledged to DOAJ and SHERPA Ro/MEO; SPARC Europe presents at recent PUBMET and OASPA conferences; and SPARC Europe – in a snapshot.
Summer 2019: News from two Liber Conference 2019 panels on new European policies and legislation impacting academic libraries; the latest update to our Open Science policies report is published; SPARC Europe to present the findings of our recent research funder survey at PUBMET; also just around the corner: “Radical Open Science futures” – a panel planned for OASPA 2019; and a reminder to vote as we prepare to fill two soon-vacant Board seats.
June 2019: New SPARC Europe brief looks at key changes to the most recent revisions to Plan S; cast your vote for two SPARC Europe board positions; a summary of where things are with the planning of a new OA Books network; results of this year’s European funder survey are in and under review; and looking ahead to PUBMET2019.
May 2019: The spring publication of the SCOSS newsletter is released; in other SCOSS news, the Directory of Open Access Journals reaches its funding target; Invest in Open Infrastructure launches; insights into the latest developments around Horizon Europe and how the new legislation supports Open Science; a call to help shape country-level copyright law; and a reminder request for nominations for the SPARC Europe Board.
April 2019: New Brief offers insights on the potential economic efficiencies of making data Open and FAIR; plans emerge for leading a new collaborative effort aimed at helping libraries adjust to the new copyright law; SCOSS attracts three new Consortia funders; and SPARC Europe’s latest presentations.
March 2019: Our rundown of the recently adopted Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market; SCOSS releases its first Progress Report, detailing learnings from the Pilot Project; a survey of Europe’s research funders gets underway; a new Brief on research integrity and Open Science is released; and SPARC Europe’s Board elects a new Chair.
February 2019: The latest on the PSI Directive, which now includes a provision to make Open the default for publicly-funded research; reporting on the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market as it advances – now with key safeguards in place for Open Science; see our formal feedback on Plan S implementation guidance; and a call for proposals from IFLA for an upcoming “pre-conference” on library-provided services that support Open Science.
January 2019: Delivery of the SPARC Europe 2018 Annual Report.
2018
December 2018: A new briefing paper explicating FAIR and Open Data; a new analysis of Open Data and Open Science policies across Europe finds continued growth; new guide on the implementation of Plan S reflects input from SPARC Europe; latest newsletter from SCOSS reports on the Coalition’s progress.
November 2018: The campaign to influence new EU legislation around OS continues; an invitation to try our new RDM tool; SPARC Europe presents at OS workshops in multiple countries; and a request to help us identify European funders ahead of our upcoming survey.
October 2018: An implementation guide involving Plan S and libraries is released; SPARC Europe together with coalition partners submit amendments to PSI Directive; two briefs offer coalition’s stand on Articles 11 & 13 as trilogue begins negotiations; and SCOSS attracts 20 expressions of interest in the runup to its second funding cycle.
September 2018: A look at the newly-announced Plan S, cOAlition S and SPARC Europe’s response; earlier this month, the EU Parliament voted on its proposed amendments to the controversial draft copyright directive — we are sharing our concerns in a Brief you can download; SCOSS gains three new members and prepares for its second funding cycle; a chance to revisit our keynote presentation from last week’s PUBMET 2018; and a new documentary film exploring academic publishing, paywalls and Open Access launches with hundreds of screenings scheduled worldwide.
July/August 2018: A new effort to learn about Open Access and Open Science reward and incentive systems being employed by European research funding organisations is about to get underway; a new tool to help organisations evaluate their RDM efforts is set to launch soon; global support for SCOSS continues to grow as a promising milestone is met; a new Open Science policy development case study is available for download; and a mid-year progress report on SPARC Europe.
June 2018: A progress update on our copyright reform efforts; the launch of a new Open Education Librarian Network; find out the theme of this year’s International Open Access Week; a special discount is being offered SPARC Europe supporters interested in funding an OpenCon 2018 scholarship; and SPARC Europe to present at the LIBER 2018 Annual Conference.
May 2018: A winner is announced in the first-ever Data Engagement Management Award competition; an invitation to help us identify Europe’s Open Education champions; and a reminder to participate in our survey.
April 2018: A request for you to take the 2018 SPARC Europe (brief) survey; our ongoing campaign to influence European Copyright Reform gains the attention of Nature News, floating the idea of a new Open Education Network for Librarians, the inaugural SCOSS newsletter is published, and results of a brainstorming session listing community-identified knowledge gaps regarding Author Rights is released.
March 2018: A live, working document with policy ideas for rewarding people and institutions that engage in open data practices; a new briefing paper that examines the policies of two Open Data innovators; an update on the fast-growing SCOSS network of funders; and an invitation to join us at the Creative Commons Global Summit 2018.
February 2018: Policy Advisor Ásta Helgadóttir offers a glimpse of where negotiations around EU copyright reform currently stand; an updated analysis of Open Data policies in Europe reveals new activity around existing data policies in multiple countries; a welcome to new SPARC Europe Board Vice-Chair Mr. Ignasi Labastida i Juan; and an update on the rapidly-growing SCOSS network.
January 2018: Delivery of the SPARC Europe 2017 Annual Report.
2017
December 2017: An update to our report analysing Open Data and Open Science policies in Europe; a new Data Management Engagement Award launches; SPARC Europe’s board prepares to welcome four new members; and our executive director is interviewed by The Times Higher Education.
November 2017: SCOSS makes its first funding appeal to the international academic and research communities; our Open Data Champions programme launches; an update on the recent Engaging Researchers event co-organized by SPARC Europe, University of Cambridge and Jisc; and a reminder to vote in the latest election of new SPARC Europe board members.
October 2017: We are seeking nominations to fill four open seats on the SPARC Europe Board; keeping up the pressure with our lobbying efforts regarding EU copyright reform; an invitation to check out our latest report on Open Research Data practices; and an update on a recent survey to better understand usage of the SPARC Author Addendum.
September 2017: An update on our copyright reform efforts; a presentation given by SPARC Europe’s director at the recent Annual Danish Professional Research and Education LIbraries Conference; a few words about The Global Sustainability Coalition for Open Science Services, and a newly released Open Data Policy Case Study.
August 2017: Recalling the recent SPARC Europe Meeting; a new SPARC Europe paper to help guide OER policy discussions; word of an upcoming RDM conference; and an alert about our stand against potential, upcoming EU copyright reform.
June 2017: Reports from a high-level RISE expert gathering; a look forward to the upcoming SPARC Europe Meeting and joint SPARC Europe/LIBER workshop; an appeal for feedback on the SPARC Author Addendum; an announcement about upcoming OPENCon 2017; and our monthly Curated News Digest.
May 2017: A new report that offers a brand new analysis of European Open Data and Open Science policies; an invitation to the SPARC Europe Meeting in Patras; an announcement about OpenCon; and the debut of the SPARC Europe Curated News Digest.
April 2017: An invitation to a joint LIBER-SPARC workshop in July; a new Open Data briefing paper targeting institutional managers; some of our impressions from OER17; and a question for you, our supporters.
March 2017: A briefing paper on the citation advantage of Open Data, the latest overview of Open Data and Open Science policy in Europe; a new Open Science coalition launches; and SPARC Europe gets a new website.
February 2017: An invitation to preview the SPARC Europe Strategic Plan for 2020 and an announcement about the launch of Europe’s Open Access Champions.