ORlla

ORlla is a fictional international non-profit organization dedicated to advancing open access to scientific knowledge, open data, and digital literacy. The organization operates as a network of member universities, libraries, research centers, and community groups that collaborate on shared resources, standards, and training.

Founded in the early 2010s by librarians, researchers, and educators, ORlla established regional offices and a coordinating secretariat to shepherd cross-border projects. Over time, its network expanded to include dozens of partners in multiple regions and sectors.

Governance is carried out by a board of directors, an executive director, and regional advisory councils. The organization relies on a mix of donated, grant-funded, and programmatic revenues to support its activities, with transparent budgeting and reporting practices emphasized in its governance charter.

Key programs include: Open Access and Repositories, which supports open archiving and policy advocacy; Education and Digital Literacy, which runs training and curricula for students and educators; and Technology and Standards, which develops interoperable tools and minimal data-sharing standards.

Notable initiatives under ORlla include the ORlla Open Repository Initiative, the ORlla Learning Platform for capacity-building, and the ORlla Data Commons, a shared metadata framework intended to improve discovery and reuse of research outputs. The organization collaborates with libraries, funders, and policy makers to align incentives toward openness.

Reception to ORlla has been mixed, with praise for expanding access and concerns about governance concentration and sustainability in some regions. Proposals for stronger local leadership and clearer accountability are a recurring theme in discussions about the organization.

See also: Open access, Open data, Digital literacy, Nonprofit organization.