UMD Libraries adopt core licensing principles

The University of Maryland Libraries has adopted a set of core licensing principles to guide negotiations with scholarly publishers and other vendors. The principles support the mission, vision, and values of the University and of the Libraries. They affirm the need to achieve sustainable, equitable access to knowledge and promote the retention of authors’ rights to use and disseminate their own scholarship, among other benefits to the campus community.

“These principles articulate our collective resolve at the University of Maryland to achieve fair and sustainable licensing agreements,” said Daniel Mack, Associate Dean of Libraries, Collection Strategies and Services. “They reinforce our goal to ensure that more of UMD’s research and scholarship are available to people throughout the state of Maryland and beyond, without price and permission barriers.”

The principles were developed by the Libraries in collaboration with the cross-campus UMD PACT (Publishing, Access, and Contract Terms) working group and the Senate-based University Library Council. They were also reviewed and endorsed by other campus administrators and faculty stakeholders during the 2020-2021 academic year.

"We value transparent and productive communication with our stakeholders and vendors," added Adriene Lim, dean of Libraries. "We offer these licensing principles to establish a common framework for effective collaboration with our partners."