The seventh annual Publishers for Development (PfD) conference – which took place in London, UK, yesterday – explored five core principles that publishers must aspire toward when undertaking responsible engagement with developing countries.

The delegates, including representatives from large and small publishing companies, university librarians, and NGOs, discussed the five principles and how to put them into action. Acknowledging the financial and political pressures facing both university libraries and international publishers, the conference asked the attendees to discuss how practical such principles would be and what would need to take place to ensure they have meaning and impact when put into practise.

In the coming months the ACU, alongside its PfD partners INASP, will look to explore a possible list of principles which could govern the work of university libraries when dealing with publishers. It is important that there is a mutual understanding when entering negotiations, and awareness that each party is making efforts to cooperate will facilitate a simpler negotiation.

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Publishers for Development is an initiative co-hosted by the ACU and INASP, designed to bridge the gap between publishers and university librarians. Read more