IN SUMMARY
As we’ve seen since 2001, numerous initiatives have been launched which provide free or highly discounted access to scientific journals. The beneficiaries of these initiatives are non-profit institutions in developing nations. In addition to the “big three” that we have looked at-HINARI, AGORA, and OARE-there are many others including a major initiative by JSTOR and PubMed. Many of these initiatives are a result of partnerships between large organizations and publishing companies. The goals of each of these programs are similar. They strive to improve the lives of those living in developing nations by providing access to information on health, agricultural, and environmental issues. Those individuals with access to this information include students, researchers, policymakers, and educators.
The criteria which is used to determine the type of access that a nation receives is very similar for HINARI, AGORA, and OARE. All three of these initiatives use data from the World Bank which shows the nation’s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita. HINARI and OARE provide free access to countries with a GNI below $1250 whereas AGORA provides free access for those whose GNI is below $1000. In addition, HINARI and OARE charge $1000 per year for countries whose GNI is between $1250 and $3500 whereas AGORA charges $1000 per year for countries whose GNI is between $1000 and $3000. The process to acquire access to the journals is the same for these three programs. Institutions in qualified countries must fill out a registration form which must then be approved. After approval, they will receive a password to the databases and can then begin accessing the journals.
THE GROWTH OF HINARI, AGORA, and OARE
Research4Life, which is the collective name given to HINARI, AGORA, and OARE, reports that as of May 2009, these programs have grown dramatically. HINARI has registered 3,866 institutions in 108 countries since its launch in 2002, and since 2006 has grown by 61% (Scholarly Communications Report, 11). Access is now provided to over 6,300 medical and health journals (Scholarly Communications Report, 11). AGORA, which was established in 2003, has also grown since 2006. They have seen an increase of 77% and now have 1,760 institutions registered with access to 1,276 science journals (Scholarly Communications Report, 11). OARE has registered 1,500 institutions since its launch in 2006, which is a 700% increase (Scholarly Communications Report, 11). In total, over 155 publishers now participate in these initiatives, some of the largest of these being Elsevier, Wiley-Blackwell, and Springer (Scholarly Communications Report, 11).
CHALLENGES
Although these programs continue to grow, we have also seen that many challenges remain. Many developing nations have inadequate facilities and technological infrastructure. In some cases, internet access is still obtained via dial-up connection. In addition, many individuals in these nations don’t possess the skills needed to use and manage digital resources. In some cases, there is also a lack of support from the institutions that could benefit from these resources. The situation is slowly improving, but these types of changes take time.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR LIBRARIANS
Clearly these developing nations initiatives are something that librarians should at least be aware of. Some of us may end up interning or working at libraries in other countries where knowledge of these programs would be beneficial. It is more likely, however, that some of us may end up interning or working at publishing companies or large organizations here in the United States which organize and launch these types of initiatives. It is, therefore, important that we understand the purpose and goals of these programs. Also, some journals can be accessed for free through these databases even if your nation is not on the list of developing nations which means that libraries here in the United States can take advantage of these resources.
The existence of these programs also brings up the question of how librarians feel about developing nations receiving free or highly discounted access while libraries here in the United States (many of which are experiencing budget cuts) are paying for access to these journals. I was unable to locate any quotes from librarians about these programs, but I spoke to several on my own who didn’t have a problem with these initiatives. In my opinion, these initiatives are helpful and important. Those of us who live in the United States can obtain pretty much any journal article that we want because even if our library doesn’t have access to a particular database, we can request the article through interlibrary loan. Meanwhile, those who live in developing nations can’t access articles in the medical, agricultural, and environmental fields which contain vital information that can help these countries provide healthcare, food, and a safe living environment for their citizens. This knowledge can translate to action which can improve the quality of life for the citizens of these nations and may ultimately lead them to prosperity. I believe those of us that are in a position to help others, should do so.
REFERENCES
“Growth of OARE, HINARI and AGORA.” Scholarly Communications Report. V 13: 5 May 2009, 11.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The Third Initiative
This week I want to look at a “sister” program to HINARI and AGORA called OARE which is Online Access to Research in the Environment. OARE was started in 2006 and then was updated in 2007. After I review the basics about OARE (using the same format as I did with HINARI and AGORA), I will discuss another database called AJOL which is African Journals Online.
OARE- Online Access to Research in the Environment (the information below comes from http://www.oaresciences.org/en/ ).
What organizations have Developing Nations Initiatives?
OARE was developed by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and Yale University along with various publishing companies such as Springer, Elsevier Science, and Oxford University Press and various scientific associations such as the Food and Agriculture Association and Microsoft.
Specifically, what type of access is being offered?
It provides access to over 1,300 journals. The digital resources are offered to professionals and researches working in the environmental field.
What countries is it being offered to?
The list is available at http://www.oaresciences.org/eligibility/en/index.html . The list is divided into two bands. Band one countries get free access and band two countries pay $1000 per year. Examples from band one include Afghanistan, Kenya, and Vietnam. Examples from band two include Cuba, Iraq, and Peru. (Same as HINARI)
What criteria are used to determine which countries are eligible?
AGORA uses 2006 data from the World Bank.
Is access free or discounted? What is the discount?
If a country’s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita is below $1250, then that country is able to have free access. If a country’s GNI per capita is between $1250 and $3500, then that country pays $1000 per year. Even if your country is not on the list of developing nations, there are still many journals that are available for free.
How is access provided?
Institutions must fill out a registration form and then they will receive a license agreement which must be signed. The institution is then assigned a password.
Can the information be accessed in other languages?
There are other languages available which can be located using the search feature.
What are the goals of these types of initiatives?
OARE has four main goals. They are as follows:
“Build the capacity of environmental professionals to manage fragile ecosystems, protect human health, and manage natural renewable resources more sustainably.”
“Build the capacity of national experts to facilitate – through their knowledge and reputation – the development of more progressive, science-driven state policies, regulatory frameworks, and governance structures.”
“Strengthen the intellectual foundation of universities so as to enable scientists to conduct scientific research on a par with peers in industrialized countries and establish their own publishing record; help faculty to better educate the next generation of leaders; and enable students to seek education in new and emerging scientific disciplines.”
“Build the capacity of local media to gather and disseminate to the public new scientific knowledge of importance to the welfare of developing nations” (OARE website).
Do developing nations possess the necessary technology to access these digital resources? (i.e. computers, internet connection)
Institutions must have a computer with internet access that is considered high-speed (56k baud rate or higher).
Is there a measurement that shows how much developing nations access these digital resources?
OARE has institutions registered in 107 countries.
*****
As you might have noticed, many of the countries which receive free access to the various online resources are located in Africa. In addition to HINARI, AGORA, and OARE, Africa has launched its own database of journals which are published on the continent. The main goal of African Journals Online (AJOR) is to increase the visibility and accessibility of African scholarship. Prior to AJOR, it was difficult for many people to obtain information written by African authors (and in some cases it still is since many articles published in Africa aren’t indexed). The project was started in 1998 and currently provides access to over 340 journals from 26 countries. Statistics now show that over 60,000 researchers access AJOR each month. Most of those who access the database are in Africa. As of 2006, only 10.3% of document requests came from people in North America and Europe while 69.4% came from others in Africa (Paulos, 253). Still, projects like HINARI, AGORA, OARE, and AJOL are making important strides. A 2005 study about the status of university libraries in Africa concluded that “over the last five years enormous progress has been made in ensuring that staff and students in universities in Africa can access the growing quantities of information sources now produced in electronic format” (Paulos, 253-4). It is only logical that because the study was completed in 2005, progress has continued in the years since.
Next week, I will be looking at the growth of HINARI, AGORA, and OARE in terms of numbers and then summarizing what we’ve learned.
REFERENCES
AJOL: African Journals Online. 2009. African Journals Online. 2 July 2009. http://ajol.info/.
OARE: Online Access to Research in the Environment. 12 May 2009. Online Access to Research in the Environment. 2 July 2009. http://www.oaresciences.org/en/index.html .
Paulos, Afeworki. “Library resources, knowledge production, and Africa in the 21st century.” The International Information and Library Review. V 40 2008, 251-6.
OARE- Online Access to Research in the Environment (the information below comes from http://www.oaresciences.org/en/ ).
What organizations have Developing Nations Initiatives?
OARE was developed by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and Yale University along with various publishing companies such as Springer, Elsevier Science, and Oxford University Press and various scientific associations such as the Food and Agriculture Association and Microsoft.
Specifically, what type of access is being offered?
It provides access to over 1,300 journals. The digital resources are offered to professionals and researches working in the environmental field.
What countries is it being offered to?
The list is available at http://www.oaresciences.org/eligibility/en/index.html . The list is divided into two bands. Band one countries get free access and band two countries pay $1000 per year. Examples from band one include Afghanistan, Kenya, and Vietnam. Examples from band two include Cuba, Iraq, and Peru. (Same as HINARI)
What criteria are used to determine which countries are eligible?
AGORA uses 2006 data from the World Bank.
Is access free or discounted? What is the discount?
If a country’s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita is below $1250, then that country is able to have free access. If a country’s GNI per capita is between $1250 and $3500, then that country pays $1000 per year. Even if your country is not on the list of developing nations, there are still many journals that are available for free.
How is access provided?
Institutions must fill out a registration form and then they will receive a license agreement which must be signed. The institution is then assigned a password.
Can the information be accessed in other languages?
There are other languages available which can be located using the search feature.
What are the goals of these types of initiatives?
OARE has four main goals. They are as follows:
“Build the capacity of environmental professionals to manage fragile ecosystems, protect human health, and manage natural renewable resources more sustainably.”
“Build the capacity of national experts to facilitate – through their knowledge and reputation – the development of more progressive, science-driven state policies, regulatory frameworks, and governance structures.”
“Strengthen the intellectual foundation of universities so as to enable scientists to conduct scientific research on a par with peers in industrialized countries and establish their own publishing record; help faculty to better educate the next generation of leaders; and enable students to seek education in new and emerging scientific disciplines.”
“Build the capacity of local media to gather and disseminate to the public new scientific knowledge of importance to the welfare of developing nations” (OARE website).
Do developing nations possess the necessary technology to access these digital resources? (i.e. computers, internet connection)
Institutions must have a computer with internet access that is considered high-speed (56k baud rate or higher).
Is there a measurement that shows how much developing nations access these digital resources?
OARE has institutions registered in 107 countries.
*****
As you might have noticed, many of the countries which receive free access to the various online resources are located in Africa. In addition to HINARI, AGORA, and OARE, Africa has launched its own database of journals which are published on the continent. The main goal of African Journals Online (AJOR) is to increase the visibility and accessibility of African scholarship. Prior to AJOR, it was difficult for many people to obtain information written by African authors (and in some cases it still is since many articles published in Africa aren’t indexed). The project was started in 1998 and currently provides access to over 340 journals from 26 countries. Statistics now show that over 60,000 researchers access AJOR each month. Most of those who access the database are in Africa. As of 2006, only 10.3% of document requests came from people in North America and Europe while 69.4% came from others in Africa (Paulos, 253). Still, projects like HINARI, AGORA, OARE, and AJOL are making important strides. A 2005 study about the status of university libraries in Africa concluded that “over the last five years enormous progress has been made in ensuring that staff and students in universities in Africa can access the growing quantities of information sources now produced in electronic format” (Paulos, 253-4). It is only logical that because the study was completed in 2005, progress has continued in the years since.
Next week, I will be looking at the growth of HINARI, AGORA, and OARE in terms of numbers and then summarizing what we’ve learned.
REFERENCES
AJOL: African Journals Online. 2009. African Journals Online. 2 July 2009. http://ajol.info/.
OARE: Online Access to Research in the Environment. 12 May 2009. Online Access to Research in the Environment. 2 July 2009. http://www.oaresciences.org/en/index.html .
Paulos, Afeworki. “Library resources, knowledge production, and Africa in the 21st century.” The International Information and Library Review. V 40 2008, 251-6.
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