An Open and Community Driven Open Science Cloud

This week LIBER signed a joint statement together with several large European research infrastructures outlining a common vision for a European Open Science Cloud(OSC).

This common vision is an essential starting point for the development of the Cloud and we hope that the plans for the development of the Cloud will take this into account.

For LIBER, the OSC is as much a social endeavour as it is a technical one; connecting communities from across disciplines, regions and stakeholders and increasing the visibility and impact of Open Science beyond the confines of these communities.

As research libraries are one of the communities concerned and a potential local intermediary between researchers and the OSC, LIBER has elaborated on this joint statement with a short list of principles. We believe such principles are essential to ensuring that the OSC is truly open and community driven as this is the only approach that can foster the necessary systemic change in the modus operandi of science and research needed to realise the practice and potential of Open Science.

We have outlined 6 principles for an open and community driven OSC.

1. Connecting Institutional, Consortial, National and European Infrastructures
2. Open Governance and Ownership
3. Added Value
4. Diversity
5. Flexibility and Engagement
6. Collaboration and Communication

To read about these principles please download the paper here: Open Cloud Principles.

[Image by Geralt, CC0]