There have been numerous ongoing efforts to bring open access repository networks from around the world closer. This also includes major efforts to align ever expanding repository networks. Recently Confederation of Open access Repositories (COAR), taking the lead, has organized a meeting which was held on April 16, 2015. The meeting was held in Port, Portugal. This meeting was held for the second time in a row. Representatives from all corners of the world attended the meeting. The meeting’s main area of focus was on finding sustainable ways of implementing open access and research infrastructure.

Research is an output of strong collaboration. There is also increasing international dimension in it. Repositories are intended to facilitate and speed up research output’s dissemination and consumption. This makes the need to align repository networks imperative. Repositories can collaborate around major issues such as open access polices, standards and services.

Participants of the meeting shared about their experiences and local networks. What had been made clear, out of the meeting, was that repositories have progressed over the years. And now they are in a better position to enter deep international collaboration. Meeting participants reviewed the progress has been made since their previous meeting. They looked into details as what has been changed, particularly, in the areas of open access elements and metadata harmonization and improving repository networks global visibility.

Out of the meeting came a resolution to further align repository networks. In order to realize these objectives different kinds of activities will be carried out. Those activities, by in large, include enhancing collaboration around developing tools and guidelines. To improve global visibility of repositories more work will be done with policy makers and other stakeholders.

Sorce: COAR