Electronic Journal Publishing: A Reader Version 2.0
Published by INASP, 2001
ŠINASP 2001
http://www.inasp.info
As the editor of a journal of the Zimbabwe Scientific Association (ZSA), I enjoy the challenge of 'holding up' the flag of science and balancing this with the requirements of our subscribers and authors. However, this enjoyment is increasingly being diminished by the difficult economic and social conditions in my country and the lack of money, time and personnel to produce the publications. Can publishing on the world wide web make a difference to this balancing act? I oscillate between excitement at the publishing possibilities offered by the 'web', to despair at the ever increasing gap between technologically-developed and -undeveloped countries, so eloquently described by Sulaiman Adebowale (2000). However, developing countries cannot afford to be left behind. We need to have a voice in the global information chorus and we should aim to market this information to provide much needed income and international recognition for our journals, as well as benefits to the scholars that publish in them.
Zimbabwe has had a long tradition of journal production, particularly in the sciences, being among the top three journal-producing countries in Africa. In particular, the ZSA has been publishing since 1902. However, is this scholarly work being read and used in Africa? ...elsewhere? Probably not a great deal, until recently. Levey (1997) noted that the coverage of Africa journals in international databases ranged from 1 % of all entries in MEDLINE to 14 % in TROPAG and RURAL databases. Other developing areas of the world suffer from similar problems. However, in some places, this is being overcome through use of EJP projects, such as the SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online Project) in Latin America. In a recent review, Bayers (2000) noted that the number of publications from developing countries indexed in the ISI database has risen dramatically, with increases of 55% and 30%, from Latin America and Asia-Pacific, respectively.
My own exposure to electronic journal publishing (EJP) started in 1997 after I approached the Electronic Publishing Trust for Development (EPT) following advice from an colleague in Uganda. With help from EPT the two journals produced by the ZSA were mounted on the BIOLINE web site later that year. Our journals are now available also on the African Journals Online (AJOL) website of INASP. Our thanks go to these wonderful organisations that have assisted us in going online.
So what benefits can EJP give to our journals and to the scholars that publish in them? Greater international exposure of good quality work can bring benefits such as funding of projects (and therefore publication of project results), product development, advertisements, training courses, lecture tours, etc. We also hope that our overseas subscription base may be improved through initiatives for joint licensing of groups of journals from developing countries. Publishers in developing countries also need to be proactive, developing and encouraging greater use of their web journals by academics, students, industrialists and development agencies. They also need to keep the standards of their journals high and publish in a timely fashion. All this takes commitment -much easier said than done, as many editors/publishers in developing countries do the work on as voluntary basis, juggling their journals with other work commitments.
Once the decision is made, how do you start EJP or even improve on your current EJP? This reader is here to help you do just that. I urge all publishers /editors of journals, especially those in developing countries, to make full use of the advice herein, which can help you to minimise the pitfalls and maximise the potential benefits of this form of publishing. The road is not easy but it can be travelled with some help. The Reader is divided into eight chapters. The first chapter gives a broad introduction to EJP and the remaining seven chapters each deal with a different aspect of EJP. Chapters 2 and 3 cover general overviews and perspectives of EJP. Chapter 4 is particularly important, as it deals with the economics of EJP and the many 'hidden' costs of this type of publishing. Potential problems of copyright, free access and archiving issues on the web, are discussed in Chapter 5. There is also the issue of digital marking and preservation (Chapter 6), making sure that the information in your journals can be referenced, stored and retrieved, years from now. Very important for developing countries - are the many different models of EJP that can be followed or adapted to suit your circumstances. These are outlined in Chapter 7. There are also many dedicated organisations that can be approached for ideas and advice (Chapter 8). Use them and get your journal on-line!
In conclusion, my thanks go to INASP for having confidence in me to update this reader and to the many contributors, who have written such thought-provoking and useful articles based on their EJP experiences.
With best wishes to all those involved in electronic journal production
Adebowale,S. (2000) Disseminating the electronic publishing philosophy in developing countries. In: Electronic Journal Publishing: A Reader, pp133-138. International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP).
Bayers,N.K. (2000) Scientific productivity in developing nations,1990-1999. Tenth International Conference of Science Editors, Rio de Janeiro.
Levey,L.A. (1997) Slipping through the cracks no more. Better dissemination of African Research Information. In: Access to Information. Indaba97 Zimbabwe International Book Fair.