International Network for the Availability
of Scientific Publications
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In this issue: SOBRE EL DESARROLLO DE LAS BIBLIOTECAS UNIVERSITARIAS EN PAISES EN DESARROLLO. La experiencia en la Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas (UCLV), Cuba. Preparing authors, publishers and librarians to work together building open access digital libraries The CDS/ISIS software as an omnipresent tool for Latin American libraries and documentation centres Research at public universities in Nicaragua and the capacity for publication of results LA INVESTIGACIÓN EN LAS UNIVERSIDADES PÚBLICAS DE NICARAGUA Y LA CAPACIDAD DE DIFUSION DE LOS RESULTADOS The Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information (PERI) in Cuba El Proyecto PERI en Cuba PERI in Bolivia: the need to further regional collaboration and networking 2nd Librarians' conference, Honduras II JORNADAS DE BIBLIOTECOLOGIA, HONDURAS China Scientific Data Sharing Program (China-SDSP) dLIST - A central repository for Library Information Science (LIS) Open access survey of Africa-published journals Email alerts If you would like to be sent an email alert when a new issue of the newsletter is published, please register your email address here © International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP), 2006 No parts of this publication may be reproduced for commercial use. Reproduction of articles for educational purposes is permitted only with acknowledgement of the source.

Development of university libraries in developing countries: experiences in the Central 'Marta Abreu' de Las Villas University (UCLV), Cuba By José Rivero Díaz Much has been said on the transformations that are taking place in the world of information, changes that have led to expressions such as 'the information society' or 'the knowledge society'. Change is characteristic of this new era, and future graduates must be trained to adapt to these changes, and to assimilate the new developments and knowledge effectively and efficiently. Within a saturated information context this means being able to search for, locate, select, organise and use critical information; to recognise the need for information, to recognise information resources, to know how to look for information, to identify critical information, to manage, filter and structure the results, to know how to use the information wisely and creatively, and how to publish the results. Libraries are better prepared than other university organisations to lead these changes. To do so they need to take into account the requirements of available Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), the strategic aims of the university, and the management of information necessary to achieve these aims. The UCLV 'Chiqui Gómez Lubián' University Library confronted this transformation process by activating a highly participative strategic planning process, a re-engineering study that focused on new working requirements, and by training designed to ensure staff could deal with these changes. In this way, the library changed from having a vertical, function-based centralised structure, to having a horizontal, decentralised, process-oriented structure, focused on the needs and expectations of collective users rather than individuals. Main processes are now automated and the library employs an information management structure that guarantees proactive working methods. So, from being a monolithic central structure, the new library acts as an online library, integrated into a system of 11 other libraries. At the request of the library, the Rector approved a scientific and academic working methodology that manages all the stages of the lifecycle of scientific and academic information. This involves the use of a student-centred learning model where the presentation and analysis of situations and problems comes before the search for the information needed to provide solutions and to reach decisions. A Management of Scientific and Technological Information Plan was devised for each subject, designed to guarantee gradual training in information skills over the course of each year's study. During the first year the workshops focus on information skills, where participants are introduced to the library services and also shown the skills they need to acquire. Between the second and the fifth year, two information projects are planned that become real documental investigations on specific areas. The induction workshops are provided by the libraries themselves, whilst the information projects are guided by the teachers (who act as tutors) and the libraries (that act as advisors). In this way the libraries have taken on both teaching and advisory roles. The library continually perfects methodologies and instruments required to carry out studies on user information needs, working with a network of collaborators that allow it to be more efficient when offering information services. An IT group was formed with two consultants and a designer to support the library services. They also provide backup for three Student Scientific Groups who voluntarily carry out software design and implementation tasks that the library requires. The services offered by the library include: a joint catalogue of the 11 libraries; a virtual library of the library's digital resources; an online reference service and resources directory; journal databases that allow users to request online document delivery; software Desiderata allows requests for the library to purchase a book or an article from a journal; a centralised information service using RSS; and a database of unpublished primary documents generated at UCLV. Other services being implemented include support for a University Encyclopaedia, support for publishing university journals using Open Journal Systems (OJS), and software is being developed to assist the organisation of scientific events. Essential to these transformations has been the computer and network infrastructure that the Library has been able to obtain with the assistance of the Flemish Universities Council (VLIR) in Belgium, and access to the databases offered by the INASP initiative PERI (Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information). In conclusion, our experience has shown the importance of the following: rethinking all library activity, taking into account the potential of ICT, the university's strategic aims, and the necessary information and automation systems; carrying out a strategic planning exercise to define strategies, objectives, actions and monitoring indicators; achieving a flexible structure that is as level (horizontal) as possible, process-oriented, and centred on service provision; receiving support from university management to promote and lead change in teaching and investigation; designing services that meet user expectations and information needs; employing Information Management Systems and perfecting methods and instruments to define the needs and information interests of collective users; building an efficient network of collaborators; creating an archive for all information (published or otherwise), generated by the UCLV community; reclassification of the roles of all library staff to assimilate instruction and consultancy into their work; and managing change via a democratic and participatory process, allowing each member of the system to play a decisive role. Professor José Rivero Díaz Director, Documentation Centre of Scientific and Technologic Information (CDICT), Universidad Central de Las Villas (UCLV) Cuba Email: director@cdict.uclv.edu.cu

About INASP The mission of INASP is to enable worldwide access to information and knowledge with particular emphasis on the needs of developing and transitional countries. We work with partners around the world to encourage the creation and production of information, to promote sustainable and equitable access to information, to foster collaboration and networking and to strengthen local capacities to manage and use information and knowledge. Our objectives are to Improve access to scientific and scholarly information Catalyse and support local publication and information exchange Strengthen local capacities to manage and use information and knowledge Foster in-country, regional and international cooperation and networking Advise local organisations and agencies on ways to utilise information and publishing to achieve development goals. Chair, Advisory Panel: N. Mukunda Chair, Board of Trustees: R. Campbell Address: 58 St Aldates, Oxford OX1 1ST UK Tel: + 44 (0)1865 249909 Fax: + 44 (0)1865 251060 Email: inasp@inasp.info Website: www.inasp.info Guest Editor: Egbert de Smet Newsletter Editor: Pippa Smart Layout & artwork: Spires Design, UK The views expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of INASP.

SOBRE EL DESARROLLO DE LAS BIBLIOTECAS UNIVERSITARIAS EN PAISES EN DESARROLLO. La experiencia en la Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas (UCLV), Cuba. (unedited)

Profesor José Rivero Díaz

Cambios en el entorno y en las propia Universidades

Las universidades y sus bibliotecas no escapan, por supuesto, a estas transformaciones al punto de participar activamente en ellas. Sucintamente para la Universidad se pueden apuntar los siguientes factores de cambio: aumento de la matrícula, entornos más competitivos, problemas presupuestarios, nuevos programas o titulaciones, educación a distancia, internacionalización de la educación superior, procesos centrados en el estudiante, del aprendizaje en red a las redes de aprendizaje.

Así, también sobre la propia información se pudieran apuntar algunas características: la información se consolida como un recurso de las organizaciones, la información científica crece exponencialmente y la de mayor relevancia tiende a concentrarse en un número reducido de revistas, en los centros de información el énfasis pasa del documento a la información, el flujo de datos cada vez se concentra más en los medios electrónicos y surge la interactividad como cualidad nueva que propicia la producción colectiva del conocimiento. El flujo de los resultados de las investigaciones y del trabajo académico se ha modificado en las últimas décadas y junto a la llamada crisis en las publicaciones científicas, han dado por resultados iniciativas importantes como el movimiento de accesos abiertos y de archivos abiertos, así como los repositorios institucionales de documentos que se ofrecen como oportunidades para las bibliotecas.

En estos ambientes virtuales intensivos de información, donde el cambio aparece como una característica propia de estos tiempos, los futuros graduados deben tener una formación que les permitan adaptarse con relativa facilidad a estos cambios y a asimilar los nuevos desarrollos y conocimientos con efectividad y eficiencia. Estos objetivos se alcanzan, entre otros factores, a través de una formación de amplia base general, fortaleciendo la formación de habilidades genéricas donde las habilidades de información deben ocupar un lugar privilegiado, una formación autodidacta, que estén adaptados al trabajo colaborativo, y el desarrollo de cursos flexibles que permitan aprovechar las capacidades e intereses personales de los alumnos. Ser eficientes y efectivos en un contexto saturado de información equivale a saber buscar, localizar, seleccionar, organizar y utilizar la información crítica, o sea: reconocer la necesidad de información, conocer los recursos de información, saber buscar la información, identificar la información crítica, gestionar, filtrar y estructurar lo que se encuentra, saber utilizar la información con sabiduría y creatividad y dar a conocer los resultados.

Las Bibliotecas están mejor preparadas que otras instancias universitarias para liderar estos cambios. Pero para ello deben enfrentar un proceso de transformación y adaptación que tenga en cuenta los requerimientos de la Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones (TIC) disponibles, los objetivos estratégicos de la Universidad, y la gestión de la información necesaria para cumplir estos objetivos.

La Biblioteca Universitaria "Chiqui Gómez Lubián" de la UCLV enfrentó este proceso de transformación de su accionar a partir de un proceso de Planificación Estratégica muy participativo, un estudio de reingeniería que repensó la biblioteca adecuada a los nuevos requerimientos del trabajo y un proceso de capacitación y recapacitación para completar la formación del personal y pudiera enfrentar con éxito los cambios.

De esta forma, la Biblioteca de una estructura vertical, centralizada, orientada a las funciones, con un accionar reactivo y organizada según sus fondos; paso a tener una estructura horizontal, descentralizada, orientada a los procesos, centrada en los usuarios (organizada y especializada para garantizar la satisfacción de las necesidades de información de sus usuarios), con servicios ajustados a las necesidades y expectativas de los usuarios colectivos más que los individuales, con sus principales procesos automatizados y que emplea un esquema de gestión de la información para garantizar un accionar proactivo. Así, a partir de una monolítica estructura central, la nueva biblioteca pasó a actuar como una Biblioteca en red, integrada como un sistema de 11 bibliotecas.

Fue aprobada por el Rectorado, a propuesta de la Biblioteca, la metodología de trabajo de información científica y académica que orienta la gestión de todas las etapas del ciclo de vida de la información académica y científica, la utilización de un modelo de aprendizaje centrado en el estudiante donde la presentación y análisis de situaciones y problemas antecede a la búsqueda de información para darles solución y tomar las decisiones. Se orientó la ejecución de un Plan Director de Información Científica y Tecnológica para cada carrera, a través del cual se garantiza la formación paulatina de las habilidades de información en el transcurso de cada año de estudio y se coordina el aporte de cada asignatura. Para los primeros años se orienta la realización de talleres de inducción de las Habilidades de Información, donde además de mostrar los servicios de información que la biblioteca ofrece se les informa sobre habilidades que deben adquirir. Entre el segundo y tercer año y cuarto y quinto año se planifica la realización de dos proyectos de información que resultan ser verdaderas investigaciones documentales sobre temas específicos. Los Talleres de inducción los imparten los propios bibliotecarios, mientras que los proyectos de información los orientan los profesores que actúan como tutores y los bibliotecarios participan como asesores. De esta forma los bibliotecarios han asumido nuevos roles, los de instrucción y asesoría.

El trabajo con los profesores e investigadores está orientado a la organización de Bibliotecas Digitales Personalizadas empleando Gestores Bibliográficos y las fuentes de información que mejor representan las necesidades e intereses de información de las disciplinas y grupos de investigaciones. Se ha orientado que cada proyecto de investigación deberá expresar el Estado del Arte en la temática de investigación, para sobre su base, la precisión del problema de investigación y de la Hipótesis, definir el Marco Teórico sobre el cual se sustentará la investigación. Son los bibliotecarios los que han preparado los tutoriales e imparten los cursos a los profesores e investigadores noveles.

La biblioteca perfecciona sostenidamente la metodología y los instrumentos para realizar el estudio de las necesidades de información de los usuarios y dedica especial interés en organizar la red de colaboradores que le permita ser más eficiente en los servicios de información que ofrece.

Se constituyó un Grupo de Informatización con dos Cibernéticos y un Diseñador que son los responsables de diseñar, implementar y mantener los sistemas que soportan los servicios y la automatización de los procesos bibliotecarios, y además evalúan e implementan y mantienen los software libre que se deciden emplear para sostener determinados servicios. Este Grupo atiende y se auxilia de tres Grupos Científico Estudiantiles (Chasqui, Epsilon y Keop), integrados por más de 20 estudiantes, que voluntariamente en su tiempo libre cumplen tareas de diseño e implementación de los software que la Biblioteca emplea para ofrecer sus servicios.

Entre los servicios que se ofrecen en línea (13 servicios) se pueden destacar: el catálogo colectivo de las 11 bibliotecas, una biblioteca virtual que organiza los fondos electrónicos de la biblioteca, una biblioteca digital que ofrece apoyo al proceso docente con materiales digitales por lo que se organizan los documentos por carreras y disciplinas, un servicio de Referencia en línea, un Directorios de Recursos de Internet propuesto por los bibliotecarios según los estudios de necesidades de información, la bases de datos de analítica de revistas que como valor añadido permite se pueda solicitar la digitalización de un documento para que pueda ser accedido desde la Intranet, un servicios de tabla de contenido de revistas localizadas en Internet o en otros centros de información cuyos artículos también pueden ser digitalizados a demanda, Desiderata permite sugerir a la biblioteca la adquisición de un libro, solicitar la localización de un artículo en determinadas revistas preseleccionadas o solicitar que la biblioteca envié a un autor una postal solicitando el reprint de un artículo, un proveedor de servicios de repositorios de OAI-PMH, un servicio centralizado de información a través de RSS, la base de datos de los documentos primarios no publicados generados en la UCLV. Están en implementación otros servicios: el proveedor de datos de OAI-PMH de la UCLV, el soporte para la Enciclopedia Universitaria, se empleará en la edición de las revistas científicas el Open Journal Systems (OJS), y para la organización de los eventos científicos un software propio y un archivo vertical en línea para la información factual, entre otros.

Ha resultado esencial en estas transformaciones la infraestructura computacional y de redes que la Biblioteca ha podido obtener mediante la ayuda desinteresada del Consejo de Universidades Flamencas (VLIR) de Bélgica y el acceso a las bases de datos que ofrece el Programa PERI de INASP.

En resumen, nuestra experiencia no orienta a:

1. Repensar todo el accionar de la biblioteca teniendo en cuenta las potencialidades de las TIC, los objetivos estratégicos de la Universidad y los necesarios sistemas de información y automatización.
2. Realizar un ejercicio de Planificación estratégica, para definir las estrategias, los objetivos específicos, las acciones y los indicadores de control.
3. Lograr una estructura flexible, lo más plana posible (Horizontal), orientada a los procesos y centrada en los servicios.
4. Apoyarse en los niveles superiores de dirección de la Universidad para promover y liderar el cambio en la docencia y la investigación.
5. Diseñar servicios que se ajusten a las expectativas y las necesidades de información de los usuarios.
6. Emplear esquemas de Gestión de la Información y perfeccionar los métodos e instrumentos para caracterizar las necesidades e intereses de información de los usuarios colectivos.
7. Organizar una eficiente red de colaboradores.
8. Organizar la red de conocimiento de la Universidad como el repositorio de toda la información primaria y secundaria, publicada o no, que se genere en el sistema UCLV.
9. Organizar un proceso de calificación y recalificación para todo el personal de la biblioteca. Asimilar la instrucción y la asesoría como nuevos roles que complementan el trabajo bibliotecario.
10. Gestionar el cambio mediante un proceso democrático y muy participativo, que permita el aporte decidido de cada integrante del sistema.

Profesor José Rivero Díaz
Director, Centro de Documentación e Información Científico Técnica
Universidad Central de Las Villas
Email: director@cdict.uclv.edu.cu

Health researchers and health policymakers to talk at last

'Why have policy-makers so often ignored the best evidence for improving the health of their people? And why have researchers failed to get their messages through to the politicians?' asks Robert Walgate, who will moderate HR4Dnet, a new platform for debate among those concerned with health research for development, launched by INASP and the Global Forum for Health Research.

For more information see: www.inasp.info/health/HR4D-net

Sign up for HR4D-net by sending an Email including your name, organisation, country and brief description of professional interests to join-hr4d-net@dgroups.org or complete your profile at
www.dgroups.org/groups/HR4D-net/

Preparing authors, publishers and librarians to work together building open access digital libraries

By Dominique Babini

Providing web access to full-texts and e-publications has dramatically changed the way research results are communicated and used for research, teaching, study and policy within developing regions. Building collaboration between the authors, the publishers and the librarian communities can provide innovative solutions to online publication and dissemination. Within Latin America and the Caribbean the CLACSO social sciences academic network is using a digital library model to provide a publishing platform for its member journals.

Extending the digital library model project into Central America and the Caribbean, CLACSO has organised and run nine training sessions for 79 participants in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and Cuba. Florencia Vergara, with the assistance of Paula Sadier and Flavia Medici from CLACSO were responsible for these presentations and training sessions.

The sessions included

1. A general presentation (half day):
   • E-publishing trends.
   • Web access to e-publications: institutional websites and portals.
   • Quality issues in journal publishing.
   • Basic concepts about how to build a digital library with the open source software, Greenstone, to disseminate full-text documents with full search facility in metadata and in the full-texts.
   • How to participate in a cooperative digital library of full-text documents.
2. Practical session (half day):
   • Preparation of e-texts for publication: preparation of HTML and XML formats of the text, introduction of metadata in each text.
   • Uploading prepared e-texts to the cooperative digital library in Greenstone (www.greenstone.org).

After attending the general presentation, each participating institution can send new metadata and full-texts for hosting on the CLACSO database/ website. For those attending the practical session, a manual and an interface has been prepared to help in the processing of each article from PDF or Word to HTML and XML, and adding metadata to the XML.

As part of the same project, a collaborative book about e-publishing, digital libraries and portals for the social sciences ('Edición electrónica, bibliotecas virtuales y portales para las ciencias sociales') has been prepared in Spanish, with the following contributions:

1. e-publishing
   • Introduction to open access (Peter Suber, SPARC Open Access Newsletter)
   • Strategic planning for online edition (INASP: Pippa Smart)
   • First steps in journal e-publishing (ALPSP: Sally Morris)
   • How to prepare PDFs with open source 'Open Office' (CLACSO)
   • Editorial quality and visibility of journals, the experience of Latindex (LATINDEX)
2. virtual libraries for social sciences
   • Open access to social science produced in Latin America and the Caribbean: virtual libraries, portals and virtual library networks (CLACSO)
   • How to develop a virtual library with open software Greenstone - the case of a virtual library for CLACSO's Virtual Campus (CLACSO)
3. regional open access portals for the social sciences
   • CLACSO's network of social science virtual libraries (CLACSO)
   • SciELO methodology for quality journals open access publication (SciELO)
   • REDALYC network of scientific journals from Latin America, Caribbean, Spain and Portugal: a balance of three years (REDALYC)

This book will be distributed during July and August free of charge to librarians and editors of CLACSO's 173 research institutions in 21 countries of the region, and also to a selection of library schools in the region. The book will also be available, open access, in the CLACSO virtual library which receives over 100,000 visitors each month (www.clacso.org.ar/biblioteca).

For more information about this project, see Babini, D. and Smart, P., 'Using digital libraries to provide online access to social science journals in Latin America', Learned Publishing 19, 107-113, 2006.

The Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO) is a 35 years old social sciences network gathering 173 social science research and teaching institutions from 21 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. See www.clacso.org.ar

Dominique Babini
Coordinator of CLACSO's Social Science Virtual Libraries Network
Email: dbabini@campus.clacso.edu.ar

The CDS/ISIS software as an omnipresent tool for Latin American libraries and documentation centres

By Egbert de Smet

One of the striking facts, when looking at the many libraries and documentation centres of Latin America, is the 'omnipresence' or at least strong dominance of the software called CDS/ISIS. From Chile and Argentina to Nicaragua and Honduras in Central America (and also further north in Mexico) one will find this software in many variations being used by librarians, science projects and documentation centres.

To be more precise, one will find many members of this 'family of software', since there have been many offspring since its launch in the 1970s by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Unfortunately CDS/ISIS suffers from many misunderstandings, but it has claimed a strong position in Latin America due to the many merits of the system.

The awkward name originates from the two merged softwares at ILO, 'Central Documentation System' and 'Integrated Set of Information Services'.

Originally developed for mainframe computers, in 1985 UNESCO redeveloped it for PCs, after which it grew and became popular in the developing world and some other regions of the world (e.g. Eastern Europe). It has been partially adopted by other UN agencies, mainly FAO and WHO (by its Latin American division, BIREME/OPS based in Brazil).

As an example of its adoption, BIREME has rewritten the entire software (preserving the open standards), and uses it for handling and providing all its medical bibliographic information databases on CDROM and the Web (currently more than 24 million records and thousands of accesses on the servers per minute). They have also developed a webserver and Dynamic Linking Library (DLL) which is provided to users for a small fee. Other products have been developed based on these BIREME-products (e.g. OpenMarcoPolo, an integrated web-based library system).

Another, newer development came from the FOSS movement propagating Free and Open Source Software within the 'sourceforge' community. OpenISIS, which ended up being a 'server' software (called Malete with a newer version 'Selene' being prepared), can be found in Bolivia and Cuba. It is also used elsewhere.

While CDS/ISIS is not a library system, library systems can be (and are in many cases) based on it. Typically it is used in universities, along with the existing library system, in scientific projects where the documentation needs to be maintained in a more 'in-depth retrieval approach', than are usually available in library systems.

The case of Bolivia shows a typical mix of ISIS-based solutions, often running within the same university but in different library branches, unaware of the shared software origins which in principle would offer opportunities for cooperation and further development. DOS-based applications work alongside Windows-based ('WinISIS') solutions and various web-based approaches either based on OpenISIS, BIREME's 'wwwisis' or the Polish 'isis3w' (developed for FAO).

While most members of the software family are freely available to the whole world, nowhere does it dominate the scene as much as in Latin America. This is partly due to the developments by, and leading role of, BIREME/OPS, but the real question is why it is not that dominant in other areas where purchasing power of libraries and documentation centres is low (e.g. Africa). This may be due to its lack of prestige and the high degree of self-reliance needed to run the software successfully, which is one of its main characteristics: a 'do-it- yourself' software.

The system is also often perceived as old-fashioned and 'for poor people only' and this is reinforced by its presence within situations with poor hardware conditions - in which it operates very well thanks to its efficient design.

This perception hinders further application, which is regrettable since the database approach used by ISIS makes it easy for librarians to resolve bibliographic data problems in inventive ways without the help of highly trained computer specialists - making it a highly useful system for places without dedicated IT support departments.

One reason for the lack of adoption and development for more integrated and bespoke tasks is that the users of the system usually have only operational knowledge, and not the technical, functional knowledge of the internal mechanisms of the system which would enable them to adapt and integrate the software for more sophisticated uses. This could be seen as an opportunity for UNESCO to promote capacity-building using this software, and its rich medium-level tool called the ISIS Formatting Language.

Currently UNESCO and BIREME are working to develop a new database engine to cope with recent standards and software technology. This long-awaited initiative will hopefully allow the software to survive yet another era in this changing ICT landscape. Thousands of libraries and information centres all over Latin America will welcome this development enthusiastically as it will provide continued support to their automation systems already using the ISIS software.

Egbert de Smet
INASP
Email: edesmet@inasp.info

For more information on the CDS/ISIS software, visit http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=2071&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Access to Learning Award (ATLA) 2007 If your library or similar organisation provides access to information using computers and the Internet free of charge to users, we should like to hear your story.

We invite you to apply for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's annual Access to Learning Award. This award recognises excellence in providing access to information through computers, at no cost to the user. The recipient will receive an award of up to US $1 million.

The award is administered by the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) and application forms are available at

or contact Rebecca Priestley (rpriestley@inasp.info).

Deadline for the 2007 award is 31 December 2006.

Research at public universities in Nicaragua and the capacity for publication of results

By Freddy Alemán

Research at universities in Nicaragua is a fairly recent development. Before 1979, university research was scarce and inconsistent. In view of these difficulties, some research initiatives were started with the funding of non-governmental organisations, mostly in the area of social science.

In the period between 1980 and 1990 the revolutionary government created the National Council for Higher Education (CNES, Spanish abbreviation), which in turn organised the subsystem of Research and Postgraduate studies, promoting the creation of structures to govern these activities throughout the country. Nevertheless, the predominant model continued to be that of academic research and the release of scientific information was centred on the presentation of research work carried out by students.

The 1980s marked the beginning of important programmes for cooperation in research between Nicaragua's public universities and those in Europe. Human and technical capacity for university research began to be consolidated during this decade, thanks to the support and assistance of the governments of Eastern European (former Soviet Union and communist block countries), central European (Germany and Austria) and Scandinavian countries, particularly Sweden.

The year 1990 represented, in terms of Nicaragua's history, the end of the war that had devastated the country for a decade and the beginning of the transition to an era of peace, an essential condition for the development of science and the arts. The year 1990 also has a special significance for Nicaraguan higher education, as this was the year in which the Independence of Higher Education Institutions Act was approved and became law, establishing the principles that now govern the development of higher education institutions.

This law created the National Council of Universities (CNU), which organises and advises universities and centres of higher technical education. Within the CNU is the Research Commission, which organises activities that create a scientific environment at Nicaraguan universities. In carrying out this task, the CNU's research commission has worked hard to create a National Research System (SINIES).

The difference in human capital between the CNU universities and other universities is now significant. Human resources who, due to their qualifications or their dedication, can take on responsibilities in the process of research have mainly been concentrated at universities which are members of the CNU.

In the specific case of universities, one of the prerequisites for conducting research is having human resources whose working hours are devoted to work on behalf of the institution.

However, it is not only the number of people involved but also the research skills that they have which is important. An indirect indicator of the acquisition of these skills is the academic level reached. Full time university students who have reached the level of MSc and PhD mostly work at universities which are members of the CNU.

One aspect of research in Nicaragua is the absence of a programme to promote research. There is not, at governmental or CNU level, any programme to encourage the participation of students in the process of generation of knowledge. This is now one of the main priorities of the CNU and one of the main responsibilities of the newly approved Higher Education Research System (SINIES).

Another aspect that has had relatively little development is the funding of research. Members of the university community have always said that part of the budget of higher education institutions should be assigned to help fund research projects.

The publication of the results of university research in Nicaragua is one of the main problems faced by higher education institutions. The main form of publishing the results of research has been through monographic theses or diploma works, which are requirements for the graduation of students. Although some of these works are accepted by peer-reviewed scientific journals, there is no real push to achieve this. Most reports from research carried out at Nicaraguan universities are kept in the libraries of these institutions, which makes it difficult for these results to become known to the international scientific community.

Universities and other higher education institutions do not currently have journals which are included in international data bases such as the Science Citation Index (SCI). However, there are peer-reviewed publications at some universities which could reach international quality standards.

The international databases that include the publications of authors belonging to Nicaraguan institutions show little scientific production. Compared with other Central American and Latin American nations, Nicaragua is one of the lowest in terms of the number of publications that are sent to journals included in the well known international databases (SCI, Pascal, Medline, Biosis, etc.).

In order to improve the quality of academic research carried out at Nicaraguan universities, it is necessary to have access to up-to-date research information, and to support publication of research with methods for publishing and storing research publications in electronic format, increasing its visibility and preservation for the future. Hopefully both these wishes are going to be provided by the Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information (PERI) as from 2007.

Freddy Alemán
National Agricultural University of Nicaragua
Email: freddy@ibw.com.ni

LA INVESTIGACIÓN EN LAS UNIVERSIDADES PÚBLICAS DE NICARAGUA Y LA CAPACIDAD DE DIFUSION DE LOS RESULTADOS (unedited)

By Freddy Alemán

La investigación universitaria en Nicaragua es relativamente reciente. Antes del año 1979, la investigación universitaria era escasa y precaria. En medio de las dificultades descritas, surgieron algunas iniciativas de investigación realizadas con financiamiento de organizaciones no gubernamentales, especialmente en el ámbito de las ciencias sociales.

El período comprendido entre 1980 y 1990 el gobierno revolucionario creó el Consejo Nacional de la Educación Superior (CNES), el cual, a su vez organizó el subsistema de Investigación y Postgrado, promoviendo la creación de estructuras que administraran estas áreas en las Universidades del país. No obstante, el modelo predominante continuaba siendo el de la investigación académica y las actividades de divulgación científica se centraban en la presentación de los trabajos de investigación estudiantil.

La década de los años ochenta representó el inicio de importante programas de cooperación en investigación entre las universidades estatales nicaragüenses y universidades homólogas en Europa. La capacidad humana y técnica para la investigación universitaria empezó a consolidarse en esa década, gracias al apoyo y solidaridad de los gobierno de los países de Europa del este (antigua Unión Soviética y países del bloque socialista), de Europa central (Alemania y Austria) y de los países nórdicos, especialmente de Suecia.

El año 1990 representa, en la historia de Nicaragua, el fin de la guerra que por una década asoló al país y el inicio de la transición a una época de paz, condición indispensable para el desarrollo de la ciencia y las artes. Este año, tiene un especial significado para la educación superior nicaragüense. Ese fue el año en el que se aprobó la Ley de Autonomía de las Instituciones de Educación Superior, mediante la cual se establecieron los principios que rigen actualmente el desarrollo de las instituciones de educación terciaria.

Mediante la referida ley se creó el Consejo Nacional de Universidades (CNU) el cual es un órgano de coordinación y asesoría de las Universidades y centros de educación técnica superior. En el seno del CNU funcional la Comisión de Investigación que coordina acciones tendientes a crear un ambiente científico en las Universidades nicaragüenses. En su accionar la comisión de investigación del CNU ha trabajado arduamente para la conformación de un Sistema de Investigación a nivel nacional (SINIES).

La diferencia del capital humano entre las universidades del CNU y las demás universidades es notoria en la actualidad. Los recursos humanos que, por su calificación o por su dedicación pueden asumir responsabilidades en el proceso de investigación universitaria, se ha concentrado, fundamentalmente, en las universidades que son miembros del CNU. En el caso concreto de las universidades, una de las premisas para el desarrollo de la investigación es contar con recursos humanos que dediquen su jornada laboral a las tareas propias de la institución.

Esto, aunque no es garantía del fortalecimiento de la capacidad de investigación, es una condición básica para construir esa capacidad. Desde otro punto de vista, no solo el número de recursos, sino las competencias investigativas por ellos desarrolladas es importante para consolidar una capacidad de investigación. Un indicador indirecto de la adquisición de estas competencias es el grado académico alcanzado. Los académicos universitarios con dedicación de tiempo completo y que han obtenido los grados de Magister Scientiae (M.Sc.) y Philosophiae Doctor (Ph.D.) laboran, en su gran mayoría, en las universidades miembros del CNU.

Algunas realidades de la investigación en nicaragua son: ausencia de un programa de promoción de la investigación. No existe, en el nivel del gobierno o del CNU un programa que incentive la participación de los académicos en el proceso de generación de conocimiento, esa es una de las prioridades actuales del CNU y una de las principales asignaciones para el recién aprobado Sistema de Investigación de la Educación Superior (SINIES).

Otro de los aspectos que ha evolucionado poco en relación a los demás es el relacionado con el financiamiento de la investigación. Los miembros de la comunidad universitaria han demandado desde siempre la existencia de un rubro del presupuesto de las instituciones de educación superior que facilite la financiación de proyectos de investigación.

La difusión de los resultados de la investigación universitaria en Nicaragua es uno de los principales problemas que enfrentan las instituciones de educación superior de este país. La principal forma de divulgación de la investigación ha sido las tesis monográficas o trabajos de diploma, requisitos para la graduación de los estudiantes. Aunque algunos de estos trabajos podrían convertirse en comunicaciones aceptadas por revistas científicas arbitradas, no existe, en general, una cultura orientada a ese fin. La gran mayoría de los reportes de investigaciones realizadas en las universidades nicaragüenses se encuentra en las bibliotecas de estas instituciones, lo cual impide la divulgación de estos resultados a la comunidad científica internacional.

Las Universidades y demás instituciones de educación terciaria no poseen, a la fecha, revistas que estén indexadas en bases de datos internacionales, tales como el Science Citation Index (SCI). Sin embargo, existen publicaciones periódicas arbitradas en algunas universidades que podrían alcanzar los estándares internacionales de calidad.

Las bases de datos internacionales que recogen las publicaciones realizadas por autores pertenecientes a instituciones nicaragüenses muestran una pobre producción científica. Si se compara con otras naciones centroamericanas y latinoamericanas, Nicaragua ocupa uno de los últimos lugares en términos de la cantidad de publicaciones que son enviadas a revistas que son parte de las bases de datos de referencia internacional (SCI, Pascal, Medline, Biosis, etc.).

Para potenciar el impacto de las investigaciones realizadas por los académicos de las Universidades Nicaragüenses, se hace necesario poder tener acceso a bases de datos internacionales. En ese sentido la Iniciativa PERI de INASP, se convierte en un recurso valioso para asegurar la calidad y pertinencia de los resultados generados en nuestras condiciones. Con ello aseguramos que los usuarios de los servicios bibliotecarios se les posibilite el acceso a la información, independiente de su localización geográfica o fuente, facilidad de acceso, reducción de costos en los servicios y mayor uso de los recursos bibliográficos. Por ultimo, la automatización del servicio y la documentación en formato electrónico aumenta las posibilidades de preservación para el futuro.

Freddy Alemán
National Agricultural University of Nicaragua
Email: freddy@ibw.com.ni

Scholar's Copyright Project

Science Commons launches the Scholar's Copyright Project - making it easy for faculty to retain the freedom to archive their scholarly works on the Internet. Already available on their website are 'Author Addenda' - a suite of short amendments that authors attach to the copyright transfer form agreements from publishing companies.The Addenda ensure, at a minimum, that scholarly authors retain enough rights to archive their work on the public Internet. For more information see

http://sciencecommons.org/

The Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information (PERI) in Cuba

By Concepción Díaz Mayans and Luis Bermello Crespo

As part of its promise to provide better IT resources to the national academic community via the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), the Ministry for Higher Education in Cuba has organised Cuba's entry into PERI, with the assistance of the Flemish Inter-University Committee (VLIR: Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad).

The Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information (PERI), which is a programme run by the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP), is designed to support the production, access to, and dissemination of information for investigators from developing countries, via employment of ICTs.

PERI began its work in Cuba with the Workshop for the Training of Trainers, in the Las Villas Central University in October 2004, financed by the Flemish Inter-University Committee, and involving 24 Cuban and 4 foreign specialists (Belgium, United Kingdom, Nicaragua, Honduras). This workshop led to the subsequent training of more than 500 specialists in access to the resources provided by PERI in the universities, investigation centres and other institutions involved in the project in Cuba, via 25 courses given all over the country. These trainers also provided training for over 6,000 users. As support for this recruitment, various brochures were produced and distributed, and a PERI Portal was set up with other support materials, information, access to databases, etc.

PERI in Cuba is run by a National Committee, composed of the National Coordinator and Executive Directors, which carries out institutional monitoring activities, recruitment and statistical research. The resources and activities included in the Project have been widely promoted on the intranets of participating organisations, by publicity in magazines and other publications, and via conferences at scientific events. Experiences in Cuba were also presented at the 2006 International University Congress. Between October 2004 and May 2006, the two meetings organised for Latin America have both taken place in Cuba, with the participation of representatives from Bolivia, Nicaragua, Honduras and Cuba.

Through PERI, Cuban academic institutions have access to the following publications and services: Academic Search Premier, Business Source Premier, Fuente Académica, MedicLatina, MasterFILE Premier, ERIC, MEDLINE, Newspaper Source, Regional Business News, Health Source: Consumer Edition, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, Clinical Pharmacology, Mary Ann Liebert Inc., Beech Tree Publications, British Library Direct and National Academic Press. In 2005, users from 20 universities, 10 investigative centres and 14 information centres and libraries accessed databases and carried out 36,510 work sessions that included 121,772 searches, downloading 43,275 articles and 80,636 summaries.

The scientific and academic resources that it has been possible to access via PERI have not only led to a considerable increase in the amount of information acquired by universities, but also by the entire Cuban academic community as a whole. The regular monitoring of the use of the resources available through PERI for Cuba has made it possible to systematically analyse the usage of each participating institution, which has in turn contributed to the production of higher levels of usage. This flow of updated, authorised, high quality information, most as full text of documents, represents an incredible source of knowledge available to our academy which, undoubtedly, is bound to have an impact on results in scientific and educational activity.

Dr Concepción Díaz Mayans
Ministry of Higher Education, Havana
Email: concha@reduniv.edu.cu

MSc Luis Bermello Crespo
Ministry of Higher Education, Havana
Email: bermello@reduniv.edu.cu

El Proyecto PERI en Cuba (unedited)

Elaborado por:
Dra. Concepción Díaz Mayans
MSc. Luis Bermello Crespo

El Ministerio de Educación Superior de Cuba, en su afán de proporcionar mayores recursos informativos a la comunidad académica nacional a través del uso de las tecnologías en información y comunicaciones (TIC), ha gestionado, con el apoyo del Consejo Interuniversitario Flamenco (VLIR: Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad), la entrada de Cuba en el Programa PERI.

Este Programa para el Fortalecimiento de la Información para la Investigación (Programme for then Enhancement of the Research information) que forma parte de la Red Internacional para la Disponibilidad de las Publicaciónes Científicas (Internacional Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications), está orientado al apoyo a la producción, al acceso y a la diseminación de la información para investigadores de países en desarrollo, mediante el empleo de las TICs.

El Proyecto de PERI en Cuba inicia actividades con la realización del Taller para la Formación de Formadores en la Universidad Central de Las Villas en octubre de 2004, financiado por el Consejo Interuniversitario Flamenco y donde participaron 24 especialistas cubanos y 4 extranjeros (Bélgica, Reino Unido, Nicaragua, Honduras). Este Taller propició la inmediata capacitación de más de 500 especialistas en el acceso a los recursos facilitados por PERI en las universidades, centros de investigación y otras Instituciones participantes en el Proyecto en Cuba a través de 25 cursos-talleres impartidos en todo el país. Estos formadores entrenaron, a su vez, a más de 6000 usuarios. Como apoyo a la capacitación, se han publicado y distribuido varios folletos y se elaboró un Portal PERI con otros materiales de apoyo, informaciones, acceso a bases de datos, etc.

El Proyecto PERI en Cuba está encabezado por un Comité Nacional compuesto por el Coordinador Nacional y una Dirección ejecutiva que lleva a cabo las actividades de control de instituciones, capacitación y registros estadísticos . Los recursos y actividades enmarcadas en el Proyecto han sido objeto de una amplia divulgación mediante promoción en las intranets de las instituciones participantes, en anuncios en revistas y publicaciones, y a través de conferencias en eventos científicos. Las experiencias cubanas fueron presentadas, además, en el Congreso Internacional Universidad 2006. En el período comprendido entre octubre de 2004 a mayo de 2006, se han efectuado en Cuba las dos reuniones organizadas por PERI para América Latina con la participación de representantes de Bolivia, Nicaragua, .Honduras y Cuba.

A través de PERI las instituciones académicas cubanas tienen acceso a las bases de datos Academic Search Premier, Business Source Premier, Fuente Académica, MedicLatina, MasterFILE Premier, ERIC, MEDLINE, Newspaper Source, Regional Business News, Health Source: Consumer Edition, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, Clinical Pharmacology, Mary Ann Liebert Inc., Beech Tree Publications, British Library Direct y National Academic Press.

Durante el año 2005, los usuarios de 20 universidades, 10 centros de investigación y 14 centros de información y bibliotecas, accedieron a las bases de datos y realizaron 36510 sesiones de trabajo donde efectuaron 121772 búsquedas, descargando 43275 artículos y 80636 resúmenes.

Los recursos informativos a los que ha sido posible acceder a través de PERI, no solo resultan un incremento considerable de la información que adquirían las universidades, sino que se ha extendido ampliamente a toda la comunidad académica cubana. El control regular del empleo de los recursos disponibles a través de PERI para Cuba ha permitido el análisis sistemático de la utilización por parte de cada entidad participantes, lo cual ha contribuido a elevar los niveles de utililzación. Este caudal de información actualizada, autorizada, de alta calidad, con la disponibilidad en un alto porciento de los textos completos de los documentos, representa una fuente inapreciable de conocimientos a disposición de nuestra academia que, indudablemente, ha de redundar en un impacto sobre los resultados de la actividad científica y educativa.

Elaborado por:
Dra. Concepción Díaz Mayans Email: concha@reduniv.edu.cu
MSc. Luis Bermello Crespo Email: bermello@reduniv.edu.cu

PERI in Bolivia: the need to further regional collaboration and networking

By W. Patricia Escobar Salguero

Delivering electronic information resources as envisaged by PERI in Latin American countries - such as Bolivia - in response to their increasing demands for support of local efforts to produce, disseminate and gain access to scholarly information and knowledge, implies both an opportunity and a challenge.

In this large and diverse region one can find - at the same time - disparities and similarities in many instances: cutting-edge experiences on scientific information aspects in some countries (such as Brazil and Mexico) and very fragile information environments in others (such as Bolivia or Honduras), with the common denominator of sharing the same language deeply rooted in their past histories.

So, for effective and efficient functioning of programmes like PERI, ahead lies the challenge to mobilise those regional capacities to support the smaller countries, plus the opportunity to promote further collaboration and networking within the region.

Regional capacities to support Bolivia

By quickly mapping the Latin American region for existing institutions and/or initiatives that may be potential partners/tools in delivering PERI activities in Bolivia and other small countries in the region, the three largest institutions/ initiatives are as follows.

The Latin American Council for Social Sciences (CLACSO), an international non-governmental organisation with headquarters in Buenos Aires, Argentina, that - among others - promotes the development of research and teaching in the many areas of social sciences. Information provision and documentation as well as publication support (including e-publishing), are part of the main lines of activities and programmes undertaken for the benefit of more than 150 research centres and graduate programmes on social sciences from 21 Latin American and Caribbean countries.

LATINDEX, is the Regional Online Information System for Scholarly Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal. This service has been established by a network of regional institutions with the overall objectives of dissemination, enhancing visibility and increasing quality of scholarly publications and journals produced in the region through a resource-sharing approach.

The LATINDEX site (www.latindex.org) provides three sources of information: the Directory, the Catalogue and the Index of Electronic Resources, which provides direct access to an increasing collection of online full-text journals. LATINDEX also has a role to catalyse other collaborations in periodical publications; provide training support to editors; organise workshops on scientific editing, and advise on different aspects of scientific publications.

SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), a model for cooperative electronic publishing of scientific journals on the Internet, has been conceived to meet the scientific communication needs of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

SciELO is a product of partnership among specialised institutes (BIREME, FAPESP) as well as national and international institutions related to scientific communication, and is intended to provide an efficient way to assure universal visibility and accessibility to regional scientific literature, mostly on health and medicine.

Regional collaboration for delivering PERI

As said, PERI in Latin America will be very much about bringing together regional expertise and also fostering further networking and participation.

The PERI training agenda in small or low-impact countries like Bolivia, may rely in the pool of specialists behind the ongoing networks and initiatives. Training in subjects such as licensing, e-publishing, management of scientific journals and other related topics may be delivered by engaging in collaborative schemes.

Likewise, seeking full participation of Bolivian institutions in the SciELO and LATINDEX initiatives may be the way in which PERI contributes to strengthen local publishing and to enhance dissemination and visibility of research results in Bolivia.

W. Patricia Escobar Salguero
UMSS Graduate School of Economic Sciences, Bolivia
Email: wpatriciaescobar@yahoo.com

For more information about:
CLACSO www.clacso.org/
SciELO www.scielo.org/
LATINDEX www.latindex.unam.mx/

2nd Librarians' conference, Honduras

By Cecilia García

The Association of Librarians and Documentalists of Honduras (ABIDH), held the 2nd Librarians' Conference from 12 to 15 June in the City of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

The Conference had the following main objectives: (a) professional training and updating of the profession; (b) strengthening the links in terms of cooperation and exchange between centres in order to promote their development; and (c) establishment of alliances with international institutions and organisations to help improve national capabilities.

The conference was attended by 92 participants from different information units and geographic areas of the country, among which were representatives of university libraries, the national library, school libraries, specialised information centres and international organisations.

The subject matter was varied in order try to cover the interests of the participants, and it was dealt with by distinguished speakers from Honduras and abroad, among whom was Egbert de Smet, from the INASP initiative, PERI in Latin America, who gave a speech entitled 'INASP-PERI resources: information at the service of research'. This was an opportunity to get to know those present and promote the value of these resources for the country. The attendees showed their interest with many questions asked, and were told that the programme's organiser, the National Autonomous University of Honduras, will contact them to establish a plan of action and common work.

Other equally important subjects were discussed, including:

• Education and training in library and information science, the development of collections (Dr William Jackson, USA);
• Conceptualisation of reading, its promotion, material and authors for children and young people (Luís Bernardo Yepes, Comfenalco Antioquia, Colombia);
• The use of patent information in the life cycle of a project (Maidelyn Díaz, Cuba);
• The role of libraries in the information industry. (Javier Saldarriaga, Universidad de Manizales, Colombia);
• Information technology in libraries (Victor Cid, USA);
• Virtual education: a training alternative (Cecilia García, the National Medical Library);
• Emotional intelligence (Eduardo Vallecillo, Honduras);
• Information resources of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) (Victor Cid, Washington, USA);
• Riecken Foundation and its work with community libraries;
• Professional ethics (Alina Patricia Díaz, Arias Banco Central, Honduras); and
• The 21st century librarian (Oscar Saavedra, México).

From participant evaluation it was made clear that the conference was highly relevant, in view of the country's need for training and the lack of up-to-date information resources. There was support offered to the activities planned by ABIDH, and requests that future similar events could be planned.

Cecilia García
Secretary of ABIDH, National Autonomous University of Honduras
Email: cgarciaram@yahoo.com

II JORNADAS DE BIBLIOTECOLOGIA, HONDURAS (unedited)

La Asociación de Bibliotecarios y Documentalistas de Honduras (ABIDH), realizó del 12 al 15 de junio del 2006 las II Jornadas de Bibliotecología en la Ciudad de Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

La Jornada tuvo como principales objetivos: a) Capacitación y actualización profesional del gremio bibliotecario, b) Fortalecer los vínculos de cooperación e intercambio entre los centros como estrategia para su desarrollo c) Establecer alianzas con instituciones y organismos internacionales que permita mejorar las capacidades nacionales.

Asistieron a esta actividad 92 participantes de diferentes unidades de información y puntos geográficos del país entre los que se encuentran representantes de: Bibliotecas Universitarias, Biblioteca Nacional, Bibliotecas Escolares, Centros de información especializados y de Organismos Internacionales.

La temática fue variada tratando de cubrir los intereses de los participantes, y estuvieron a cargo de distinguidos conferencistas nacionales e internacionales : entre los que se contó con la participación del Sr. Egbert De Smet Coordinador del Programa PERI para América Latina quien desarrolló el tema "Recursos INASP-PERI. La Información al Servicio de la Investigación" oportunidad que permitió conocer y promover entre los presentes lo valioso de estos recursos para el país, los asistentes mostraron su interés a través de las interrogantes formuladas (Como se coordinará el programa, instituciones que serán beneficiadas, fecha que iniciará en Honduras). Se informó a los participantes que la Institución coordinadora del Programa : Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras los contactará para establecer un plan de acción y trabajo conjunto.

Otros temas de igual importancia fueron abordados: Educación y Capacitación en Bibliotecología y Ciencias de la Información. Desarrollo de Colecciones .Dr. William Jackson. USA;
Conceptualización de la lectura, su promoción, materiales y autores para niños y jóvenes Luis Bernardo Yepes, Comfenalco Antioquia.Colombia;
El uso de la información de Patentes en el Ciclo de vida de un proyecto . Maidelyn Díaz de Cuba;
El papel de las biblioteca en la industria de la información Javier Saldarriaga, Universidad de Manizales. Colombia ;
Las Tecnologías de Información en las Bibliotecas.Victor Cid , USA . Educación Virtual : alternativa de formación. Cecilia García- Biblioteca Médica Nacional;
Inteligencia Emocional , Eduardo Vallecillo. Honduras ;
Recursos de Información de la National Library of Medicine . (NLM) Victor Cid . Washington, USA;
Fundación Riecken y su labor con las bibliotecas comunitarias ;
Etica Profesional Alina Patricia Díaz de Arias Banco Central de Honduras ; El Bibliotecario del Siglo XXI Oscar Saavedra México.

Meritoria fue la presentación del libro de poesía "Tras los Hilos" de la escritora Nacional Diana Espinal, Bibliotecaria miembro de la Asociación y ganadora de un premio internacional con esta obra. De igual forma la Visita al Museo Numismático del Banco central de Honduras.

Los participantes mediante evaluación realizada: 1) Reconocieron la relevancia del evento en vista de la necesidad de capacitación imperante en el país y la carencia de recursos de información actualizados que les permita brindar un mejor servicio 2) Destacaron su satisfacción por la calidad , accesibilidad y dinamismo de los conferencistas 3) Ofrecieron su apoyo a las actividades programadas por la ABIDH 4) Sugirieron que se dé seguimiento a estos eventos y se programen otros que beneficien su formación profesional .

La ABIDH agradece a los organismos , instituciones nacionales e internacionales por su valiosa colaboración. Y asume el compromiso de seguir promoviendo este tipo de actividades y trabajar por el desarrollo del sector información en Honduras.

Cecilia García
Secretaria ABIDH, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras
Email: cgarciaram@yahoo.com

Call for Chinese and African management and library and information science research proposals: 'Increasing the effectiveness of the knowledge creation and transmission process'

Emerald is pleased to be offering two separate research grants up to £6,000 (US$10,500 equivalent) each, for Chinese and African research. The winners will also be among the first to benefit from the Emerald Research Support Service, designed to help researchers every step of the way with their project by providing help and resources.

For more information visit the Emerald website

www.emeraldinsight.com/info/researchers

China Scientific Data Sharing Program (China-SDSP)

By Fu Xiaofeng

As a key component of the National Facility Information Infrastructure (China-NFII), the China Scientific Data Sharing Program (China-SDSP) aims to strike a balance between the demand and supply of scientific data, maximising the efficiency of the nation's investment in science and technology to enhance the original scientific innovation capability and its international competitiveness.

In 2001, the Meteorological data sharing pilot project was launched, which heralded the start of the scientific data sharing program in China. By the end of 2002, 5 other data sharing centres and 3 networks had joined the pilot project. These were the Survey data sharing centre, Hydrology and Water Resources data sharing centre, Seismology data sharing centre, Forestry data sharing centre, Agriculture data sharing centre, Earth System Scientific data sharing network, Modern Agricultural Technology and Rural Development data sharing network, and Sustainable Development Information sharing network. China-SDSP has expanded its work among over twenty ministries and commissions. At the end of 2003, China-SDSP office had finished feasibility demonstration of the executive plan, and in April 2004, China-SDSP pilots working conference was held in Beijing. In Sept. 2004 and Oct. 2005 the China-SDSP office organised testing and evaluation on the pilots.

In terms of policy-making and standardisation, a working group for data sharing has formulated the 'Guidelines of Data Submission from Key National Programs' and their interpretation. They have begun researching the framework of relevant laws and policies, investigated the conceptual design for data classification for sharing, and finished the draft of 23 standards for the programme.

To date we have finished the 'Development Planning of China Scientific Data Sharing Program (2006-2010)' in which the overall considerations, principle and objectives, architecture, strategic arrangement and major tasks, and supporting conditions and facilities of China-SDSP are narrated clearly.

In order to improve theory and technology in scientific data management and sharing, an international seminar was held in Beijing in June 2004. The key topic was scientific data protecting and sharing strategy. Active communications with EU and USA have also been developed.

The China-SDSP website has been established (www.sciencedata.cn), which provides a platform for access to data and information, and which will play an important role in propagating China-SDSP.

Fu Xiaofeng
MOST, China
Email: fuxf@mail.most.gov.cn

dLIST - A central repository for Library Information Science (LIS)

By Subbiah Arunachalam

The 'Open access movement' is gaining momentum. But the pace of development varies from field to field. Years after Paul Ginsparg (then at the Los Alamos National Laboratory), set up a central archive for certain areas of physics research, came CiteSeer (computer science), Cogprints (cognitive sciences) and RePEC (economics). The first central archive for Library and Information Science (LIS) dLIST (Digital Library of Information Science and Technology) was set up at the School of Information Resource and Library Science and the Arizona Health Sciences Center Library, University of Arizona, in 2002. dLIST is a cross-institutional, subjectbased, open access digital archive for the Information Sciences. The outputs of scholarly research can all be deposited for free retrieval. An international advisory board, editors, faculty in Library/Information Schools and librarians, ensure that dLIST positively impacts and shapes scholarly communication in LIS. This vision to serve as a trusted archive and dynamic source for scholarly communication in all aspects of Information Sciences recognises that our cultural heritage institutions are also critical information infrastructures and vital to the modern knowledge economy and society.

Open access repositories such as dLIST are even more important for LIS because very few LIS journals are open access (OA). Only two of the more than 50 LIS journals indexed in Social Science Citation Index are OA. More information about OA services for LIS can be found under the Publications hyperlinks at http://dlist.sir.arizona.edu/information.html

Subbiah Arunachalam
Distinguished Fellow, India
Email: arun@mssrf.res.in

Open access survey of Africa-published journals

By Daisy Ouya

There are at least 400-500 current scholarly journals published throughout Africa, the largest proportion emanating from South Africa and Nigeria. Africa has remained behind not just in the OA debates but in electronic journal publishing in general, although some training of African journal editors in electronic publishing has taken place, notably by INASP, and slowly increasing numbers of African journals are available full text online.

The extent to which African journal editors are willing to open up access to their content will influence the global spread and wealth of the OA knowledge base. This survey investigated the opinions of African journal editors on OA publishing in general, and in particular their views on opening up access to their content to the global scholarly community.

Questionnaires were sent out to 230 sub-Saharan African journal editors from African Journals Online (www.ajol.info). 48 surveys were returned between June and August 2005. The 21-item questionnaire asked questions about the existing journal status, to assess the journals' sources of income, staffing profiles, how they were indexed, and author/subscriber bases. It then asked about the understanding of Open Access publishing, and for opinions on how - and if - this model could be introduced to their journals.

Results highlights

• Few journals were indexed in internal systems, and so suffer from poor visibility outside their immediate community.
• The majority of the journals relied on funding from grant bodies, institutional subsidies or membership fees. Most journals relied on a mixture of funding sources. Very few received noticeable support from subscription or from author fees (possibly due to high bank charges incurred in transferring small amounts of money either to, within, or between African countries).
• Much of the editing and production work is done by volunteer staff. Most of the journals had one editor paid an honorarium, and, on average, 4.2 volunteer staff.
• All the journals indicated that their articles came predominantly from African authors, but subscribers were more geographically diverse.
• Forty-three editors responded to the 'yes/no' question as to whether they had heard of the term 'open access': 28 said yes, and 15 said no.
• Understanding about Open Access was mixed, with some confusion and misunderstanding.
• Opinions about OA could be summarised as cautiously optimistic. Many editors said they faced the dilemma of desiring global visibility while not wishing to risk their journals' survival. Whereas the benefits were clear, funding and sustainability concerns, were high.

Report recommendations

• Training and information on electronic publishing and new journal publishing models should be provided to the African journal publishing community and to the decision-makers that support these publications.
• Practical demonstrations of OA 'in action' within the African continent should be supported to provide data and case studies to assist informed decisions.
• There is a need to expand awareness about OA to researchers, publishers and authors in the region, and then to solicit opinions about open access self-archiving in a more closely targeted survey.

Daisy Ouya, Kenya
Email: d.ouya@cgiar.org

The full report is available as an infobrief on the INASP website:
www.inasp.info/pubs

IN-debate

INASP are launching a series of Email debates on information access in developing and transitional countries.

A provocative topic will be suggested with each issue of the INASP newsletter, and a moderated Email discussion group kept open for 2 months to discuss the subject. A short summary of the discussion will be published in the next issue of the newsletter.

We encourage all readers to participate, and to voice their own opinions, concerns, ideas and hopes. We hope IN-debate will stimulate discussion and lead to greater understanding of concerns and viewpoints, and help INASP and other organisations to better support information throughout the developing and transitional countries.

IN-debate 1: Are journals published in developing countries worth the effort?

Why continue to struggle to publish journals within developing countries? Are they a good use of local resources?

Why not rely on the western journal publishers to do the work?

What do you think?

Please voice your own opinion to the discussion list.

Sign up for IN-debate discussions by sending an email including your name, organisation, country and brief description of professional interests to join-IN-debate@dgroups.org or complete your profile at www.dgroups.org/groups/IN-debate/

Carol Priestley steps down as Director of INASP

At the end of June 2006 Carol Priestley stepped down as Director of INASP, the organisation that she has led since its inception by the International Council of Science (ICSU), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and UNESCO in 1992.

With the mandate to improve access to information and knowledge through a commitment to capacity building in emerging and developing countries, Carol's vision and understanding of the field of information development directed INASP with a focus on working with partners and networks, encouraging the creation and production of information, fostering collaboration and networking and strengthening local capacities to manage and use information and knowledge.

When asked to identify particular highlights of her time with INASP, Carol selected the building of networks in library and book development, Health Information Forum-net (HIF-net); African Journals OnLine (AJOL), and the Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information (PERI).

At all times, her focus has been working towards a world where all people are able to access and contribute information, ideas and knowledge necessary to drive sustainable and equitable development. It is not exaggerating to say that she has contributed a great deal towards this goal.

INASP has grown quickly over the past few years and Carol has decided that it is time to step down and let a new director shape the future. INASP owes a great deal to Carol, and we are sure that we speak for the many hundreds that have worked with INASP over the years when we thank her for her leadership of the organisation.

Carol will continue to work with INASP as Head of Special Projects, currently working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on the ATLA project (see elsewhere in the newsletter).

Institute for Electronic and Electrical Engineers IEEE

The Institute for Electronic and Electrical Engineers (IEEE), the world's leading technology society/publisher, has agreed to participate in PERI. Access will be to the IEEE/IEE Electronic Library (IEL), the flagship database which provides access to almost a third of the world's current electrical engineering and computer science literature, and features content from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Institution of Electrical Engineers.

The African Studies Companion: A Guide to Information Sources

Edited by Hans M. Zell

• Fourth edition of African studies reference works, thoroughly revised and updated.
• Almost 1,000 entirely new entries in expanded and new sections.
• Published in print and electronic formats. The fully searchable electronic edition with hundreds of click-through Web links to external sites and email addresses is regularly updated.

Print and online 864 pp. ISBN 0-9541029-2-4

For more information see www.africanstudiescompanion.com

INASP - New publishing resource

A new resource pack for journals is now available free to all journal editors. It can be downloaded from the INASP website at www.inasp.info/psi/resources.shtml

Electronic Publishing and Open Access Workshop

2-3 November 2006 Bangalore, India

The Indian Academy of Sciences, the Indian Institute of Science and the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation are jointly organising a two day workshop on Electronic Publishing and Open Access. There will be delegates from China, Latin America and India.

For more information, contact
Dr S Arunachalam
Email: arun@mssrf.res.in

The next INASP Newsletter will be published in November 2006 and will be a themed issue
on the subject of training. If you would like to contribute to its contents, please write to the
editor at the Oxford address. Contributions must be received by 1 September 2006.