Speakers

Helena Asamoah-Hassan

Title: Open access publishing and access to development information in Africa – the vision

Abstract: Open Access Publishing (OAP) is now with us. It has its pros and cons and has been filling some gaps in access to development information for most African researchers and libraries. However there are still some issues to be cleared as to its continued existence as well as what it is expected to do now and in future.

This paper gives an overview of OAP including its positives, negatives and unsolved issues and also its importance to users in the South.

It then discusses the future of OAP in Africa as well as the expectation, the vision for OAP pertaining to the availability of development information to and from Africa.

Author: Helena Asamoah-Hassan is the University Librarian of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. She is currently the Chairperson of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Ghana (CARLIGH); the Country Cordinator for INASP and elfL.net; a member of the Governing Board of IFLA and the Advisory Board of ALP.

She has made presentations at several conferences at home and abroad and published in reputable professional journals. She has also organised professional workshops at home and abroad.

On OA Publishing, she is involved in promoting several of its activities especially in Africa including making presentations and organizing workshops.

Louk de la Rive Box

Title: Access Ltd: closure and openness in development studies

Abstract: After a period of experimentation and remarkable openness due to developments in electronic communication, academic work in development studies does not seem to profit from the opportunities that technology has offered. Promising developments in the 1990's (OneWorld, Euforic, Eland, GDN and the start of SciDev) created euphoria around the possibilities of North-South cooperation. Are we losing momentum? Do Northern based researchers really support public access journals, or other publications? Do Southern based researchers make use of the materials offered by these media? A plea is made for a transformation of knowledge exchange in development studies through quality peer reviewed on-line globally oriented journals (like PLOS) which stimulate commercial publishers to provide greater access to materials and researchers to publish in them. This is the more the case because most materials stem from public institutions and could therefore be argued to be in the public domain.

Author: Professor of international cooperation and rector at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), The Hague. ISS is a leading European graduate school in development studies providing Diploma, Masters and Doctoral programmes to professionals from the Global South and North. The author was formerly associated with various OneWorld initiatives, Euforic, and SciDev.

Elvira Caneda Cabrera

Title: Open Access: a bridge to the South?

Abstract: The aim of the Open Access movement is to offer wide access to scientific knowledge trough the Internet. The developing countries received the Open Access movement with expectation, because historically the access to information was impeded by a lot of barriers (infraestructure, economical models, language, and culture).

Open Access also offers possibilities to the Netherlands Periodicals Project (NPP), a book donation programma managed by NUFFIC (Netherlands organization for international cooperation in higher education). The NPP assists universities in developing countries in obtaining scientific literature.

The project depends on donations from the Dutch institutions and Libraries. However, the offer of publications has become more limited and the expectations for the next years are even worse. The reason is that in the digital era libraries and institutions are including more and more digital publications in their collections and substituting their paper collections.

In my opinion the institutions and libraries in the South should have access to the digital content too and learn more about the possibilities that offer Open Access for publishing their own scientific output, exactly as the Dutch institutions are doing now through their own Institutional Repositories.

If the purpose of the NPP is to help university libraries in Africa, Asia and Latin America to build up their scientific collections in the digital era, it is obvious that through the NPP we have to provide more and better access to electronic scholarly publications.

For example, we should collect and offer also electronic scientific publications, freely available high quality content on the Internet by Open Access. Therefore, it was really important for me to know more about the problems and needs of the NPP participants abroad. I was also curious if these institutions were interested in publishing the local scientific output by Open Access. Therefore, I sent a questionnaire to 34 institutions in the South with questions concerning access to collections, collection development, budgets, staff development, copy and print, access to Internet, cooperation and scholarly publishing by Open Access. Through the answers and comments from this questionnaire I want to illustrate the situation in these institutions and give an answer to the question in the title of my paper.

Author: I studied History at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Galicia, Spain) with a specialization in Archive and Librarianship. Afterwards I did the master GO-C Informatiekunde in The Hague. From 1998 to 2000 I worked as Information Specialist at the Chamber of Commerce to Amsterdam and from 2000 until mid 2006 I worked as coordinator/ information specialist in the library of the Institute for Information Law.

Currently I am working at the NUFFIC in The Hague, where I am responsible for the Netherlands Periodicals Project (NPP). The NPP assists universities and other institutes of higher education in developing countries in obtaining scientific literature. In my opinion Open Access can offer new possibilities for the libraries and librarians in these countries.

Julie Ferguson

Title: Open Access publishing by a community of practice: the case of the KM4D Journal

Abstract: The Knowledge Management for Development Journal (KM4D Journal) was launched in 2005 as an effort to capture what was widely perceived as valuable knowledge circulating within the KM4Dev community of practice. A peer-reviewed, open access publication, the journal targets practitioners, academics, and policy makers alike, and contributes to the incipient body of formal knowledge in the field of KM4D; moreover, through its unique peer support process, the journal encourages participation of authors who do not have experience or opportunity of writing for mainstream journals. Now in its third volume, with 100 contributions published and an 8th issue underway, the journal website receives approximately 100 hits per day, and statistics reflect a broad readership, including a diverse provenance of developing countries – from Myanmar to Peru, from Iran to Namibia. Surveys and informal interviews in the community further indicate that among practitioners the journal is widely appreciated, and it is increasingly cited and used in research and academic courses. Many of these readers and researchers would be unable to access the journal if a paid, syndicated publication model were to replace the current ‘free’ open access model.

So far, the journal has drawn heavily on volunteerism and in-kind contributions; however, as it matures and professionalizes, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the editors to continue supporting this model. In the meantime, the journal has caught the interest of commercial publishers, providing an opportunity for a more sustainable business model. The editors are faced with a dilemma: how to sustain an open model, sustaining its readership and allowing it to realize its development purposes, while at the same time meeting the costs incurred in developing the journal and achieving a sustainable business model? This question will be addressed from three perspectives: as publisher/editor, aiming for a commercially attractive, sustainable solution; as development practitioners, aiming for an inclusive, open model; and as researchers, aiming for a high-quality, innovative journal. We will argue that it is precisely its open character which has made the journal so attractive for its wide array of readers, contributors and perhaps even for publishers; but that an alternative business model must be sought to secure the future of the journal.

Authors: Julie Ferguson, Researcher, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and co-Chief Editor, Knowledge Management for Development Journal (jferguson@feweb.vu.nl); Sarah Cummings, Senior Consultant, Context, international cooperation and co-Chief Editor, Knowledge Management for Development Journal (sc@developmenttraining.org). Both Julie and Sarah are associated with the IKM Emergent Research Programme. Sarah has been a member of the IMWG since 1987.

Richard Delahunty

Abstract: This presentation begins by setting out some key values of publishing in development. It is a discipline which carries some unique challenges, not just in terms of widening access and removing barriers to content, but to offering every opportunity for authors both north and south to submit their work. How can a publisher faciliate this? The presentation will also look at Routledge's work to date on offering open access as an option, and introduce the results of a recent survey of authors publishing in Routledge Development Studies journals in 2006. It will examine how well known, how viable and strong the OA voice is in development studies, taking into account author attitudes, the funding environment and the learned publishing environment.

Author:

Relevant activity:

· Responsible for 90 journals and some reference publications - including all development studies journals at Routledge (12 titles).

· Work with over 40 societies and organisations including EADI, Oxfam GB, UNHD, Development Bank of Southern Africa, and more.

· Work in experienced development studies team at Routledge – one publisher, two editors, three production editors, one marketing executive.

Current employment:

Publisher, Politics, IR, Strategic and Development Studies, Routledge

January 2005 to Present

• Manage the development of a large social science portfolio.

• Collaboration with major learned societies, organisations and departments such as Oxfam GB, IISS, QEH, EADI and UNHD.

Jos van Helvoort & Peter Becker

Title: The benefits of Open Access Publishing for students in higher education

The Hague University

Abstract: Most students in higher education have some experience with Open Access when doing their deskresearch. They appreciate the free access of scholar publications on the World Wide Web.

But students in higher education also develop their competences as junior researchers and publishers. Can Open Access Publishing help them to get some reputation in the international academic society? And how appreciate they the readers’ feedback on papers published on the internet?

The Millennium Generation has grown up with free accessible information. They are supposed to embrace the idea of Open Access Publishing. However, students also may be anxious for publishing (preprints of) their papers, for instance for copyright reasons. It seems that good communication about the possibilities of Open Access Publishing by their educators (tutors, professors and librarians!) is very important. Peter Becker and Jos van Helvoort, professors teaching Library and Information Science in the Netherlands, would appreciate to discuss these topics with an international public.

Authors: Peter Becker was educated as music librarian, and worked 10 years at the information service of a university of professional arts education.

The last seven years he developed training programs for information workers in academic and public libraries.

Since 2007 Peter is lecturer at the department of Library & Information Studies of The Hague University.

Jos van Helvoort (1957) graduated in 1981 in Dutch Language & Literature. He worked as a teacher in secondary education and as course developer in the disciplines of Library Science and Record Management.

Since 2001 he is a senior lecturer at the department of Library & Information Studies of The Hague University. His interests include Information Research, Information Management and Information Literacy. As the chairman of the Board of Examiners of the faculty of ICT & Media he is strongly involved with assessment issues in Dutch higher education.

Maurice Long

Title: AGORA, HINARI & OARE – Open Access?

Abstract: HINARI is a programme sponsored by the World Health Organization in partnership with more than 100 publishers and Yale University. It enables full text access to 3,800 peer reviewed current journals to researchers, academics, clinicians, students, healthcare providers, economists and government departments in over 100 of the poorest countries. In most cases, access is free; in some, access is for a nominal fee. All access revenues are remitted by the publishers to the WHO for use in outreach and training. Its sister programmes AGORA (sponsored by the Food and Agriculture in partnership with Cornell University) and OARE (sponsored by the United Nations Environmental Programme with Yale University) provide access to more than 1000 high quality journals in food, agriculture and the environmental sciences. HINARI was launched in 2002, AGORA in 2003 and OARE in 2006. The programmes are stable and growing in usage, and the partners have recently been joined by Microsoft as a technical partner. All partners have agreed to continue the programmes till at least 2015 in line with the UN’s Millennium Development Goals.

Author: Maurice Long has acted as publisher coordinator for all three programmes since 2001. He is funded by STM (The International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Association). He fulfils the same role in the USA based patientINFORM programme. He worked at the British Medical Journal Publishing Group from 1982 – 2004 in a variety of management roles and at Oxford University Press from 1974 – 1982. Before that, he worked in commercial magazine publishing companies.

Peter Lor

Title: Open access@your library: how do librarians see open access?

Abstract: Open access has generated much interest world-wide. Many librarians are vocal advocates for open access. This is not surprising, since steadily rising serials prices have threatened the integrity of library collections and the capacity of libraries to serve their clients. Developing countries have been especially affected and here open access has been hailed as a solution. Open access also offers a way out of what has been called the permissions crisis that impedes the use of digital resources. Knowing what we may and may not do with licensed journals is a big worry for librarians. Publishers are trying to simplify and automate this, but in an ideal world of open access all this effort would not be necessary. Open access is attractive to librarians because it directly addresses the daily frustrations they experience with the conventional scholarly publishing system. A number of library associations have signed open access declarations or passed their own resolutions, and a number of roles have been identified for libraries in respect of open access. These include providing enhanced access to and promotion of open access materials, acting as open access publishers, adding to open access content by digitisation, and preserving open access materials. However, not all librarians are jumping onto the band-wagon. Many librarians, mindful of their long-term responsibilities, are cautious and are adopting a wait-and-see attitude. Some are sceptical about the sustainability of the business models being tried out by open access journals. Others fear that some existing library funding for publication subscriptions may be transferred to fund the running of the institutional repository. More fundamentally, there is some concern that the open access movement may destabilise the current system of scholarly publication. Some publishers’ organisations have made much of this presumed threat. In a time of paradigm change in scholarly communication the current system should not be lightly cast aside, but there is nothing to be gained by denial of its flaws and of the emerging alternatives. IFLA’s position on open access is briefly set out. IFLA has issued a statement that takes a strong position in principle in favour of open access. But for IFLA open access is not limited to the open access movement. Open access is a matter of principle that has to be considered in the larger context of effective and affordable access to information by all, regardless of its copyright status, in perpetuity. Open access will not go away, neither will it completely replace toll access. The consequence is that libraries will continue to operate in a mixed open access/toll access environment. An ongoing learning process is required, for it is likely that the environment will become more complex before a new equilibrium is achieved.

Author: Prof Peter Johan Lor has been a practitioner, researcher, manager and teacher in libraries and library science schools in South Africa. When the National Library of South Africa was created in 1999 he became South Africa’s first National Librarian.

In February 2005 he was appointed Secretary General of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), based in The Hague, the Netherlands. IFLA is an international non-governmental organisation which represents librarians and libraries worldwide, and engages with intergovernmental organisations such as UNESCO and WIPO to promote recognition of libraries and their role in ensuring the free flow of information.

Concurrently Lor is a professor extraordinary in the Department of Information Science, University of Pretoria.

Lor is the author of some 120 professional and research publications. His recent research focuses on library and information policy issues, international librarianship and international information flows.

Hans-Peter Meulekamp

Title: Open Access and the role of a subscription agent

Abstract: As open access is a free and easily accessible source of information the role of a subscription agent is not always clear. In a short presentation based on a relatively new project the role of subscription agents for the Open Access community and especially for the developing countries will be explained. An organization which is part of UNESCO had difficulties creating and maintaining a directory of interesting resources for their members. They work with many developing countries and are proactively promoting the use of the different Open Access resources. Their main concern was the time spent to track all the changes in the different Open Access packages and to add subject related terms to the directory. In co-operation with EBSCO and the University of Hasselt (Belgium) a directory of all available Open Access titles will be made available for developing countries to support institutes to promote the use of these sources.

As the Open Access community is growing and the quantity of information is exploding users need the quidance of information specialists to find their way. Just like the end-users, information specialists can use some help to ease their administrative work. Subscription agents like EBSCO continue to invest in their title database to provide organizations with information about their collection. Providing information about Open Access titles and the licences and restrictions is just part of our job.

Author: Hans-Peter Meulekamp is working with EBSCO Information Services just over two and a half years. He is responsible for the development of new business in the Netherlands. EBSCO Information Services is the leading service provider for e-journal, e-package and print subscriptions, a suite of e-resource management tools, full-text and secondary databases, and related services for all types of libraries and research organizations.

EBSCO maintains a title database of more than 300,000 serials and upholds relationships with more than 79,000 publishers around the world. As the “e” agent of the industry, more than half of the subscriptions handled by EBSCO have an electronic component. EBSCO’s 31 Regional Offices, located in 21 countries around the world, serve customers in more than 200 countries and are staffed by information professionals who speak the local language and understand the particular challenges faced by librarians in their areas.

Erik van Aert

Title: From sailing boat to steamship: the role of the publisher in an Open Access environment

Abstract: The Internet has been a huge success in the academic world, as it makes it possible for academics to share and find research materials; open access has therefore become a fact of life for academic publishing. But what is the role of publishers in this new environment? The key functions of publishing – organizing peer review, editorial support, graphic design, marketing, and distribution of academic information – do not just disappear; publishers still have a role here, but they need to take a more serv ice-minded perspective. Academics still need to find ways to ensure the dissemination of their output; it is important that they realize that this will cost money, whether it is brought in-house or outsourced. .

Author: Erik van Aert is working for the Amsterdam University Press. Amsterdam University Press publishes about 120 books a year - as university press we consider ourselves to be part of academia, therefore we are a publisher with a firm belief in Open Access.

Ben White

Title: Expanding access through licensing deals: the experience of Development & Change, 2001-2007

Abstract: Six years ago EADI’s InfoManagement Working Group invited me to talk on ‘Development studies journals and the digital future’ At that time, based on the experience of Development and Change, I asked some questions about how development studies publications will be accessed and read five, ten or twenty years from now. I asked what were the pro’s and con’s of working with a large commercial publisher: whether we would still need commercial publishers, and also whether they would still need us (the editorial team, and the Institute of Social Studies to whom they pay royalties); and also “How can the new digital future make it possible to open access to Development and Change to those who have previously not had access (which means, in our case, making it very cheap or free in most of Latin America, Africa, Asia and transitional countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union?, and “Are there fundamental contradictions between this (to us, very important) goal and the imperatives of commercial publishers to safeguard revenues?”* In today’s presentation I will see how far the journal has been able to expand on-line access to the journal in these regions, in particular through subsidized consortia subscriptions (‘philanthropic access’), since 2001. *Ben White, ‘Development studies journals and the digital future: questions on quality, relevance and availability’, EADI Working Group InfoManagement meeting on ‘Values and quality of development information’, Session 1 ‘Quality assessment and control’, Bordeaux, September 2001.

Author: Ben White teaches at the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague. He is Chair of the editorial board of Development and Change, a Blackwell journal published on behalf of the Institute of Social Studies. The journal, now approaching its 40th year of publication, recently expanded from five to six issues a year with the additional of a new departure Development and Change Forum as the 6th (November) issue.

Panel Discussion

The panel discussion between speakers and participants led by Julie Ferguson.

Photo's

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