Database aims to put African research on the map

Munyaradzi Makoni, 15 June 2009 | EN

There is good peer-reviewed science on the continent but this science, for various reasons, is not visible

SciDev.Net

[CAPE TOWN] An attempt to make African science more visible by tracking the scientific publications of the continent's scientists is underway.

Africa Science Trackers (AST), based in Stellenbosch, South Africa, aims to record every peer-reviewed paper by African scientists published in both national and international journals as well as information available through non-conventional channels — so-called 'grey literature' — since 2000.

AST has already collated information on more than 200 electronic and print journals from the continent, most of which come from Nigeria and South Africa.

AST is hoping that its data will also be included in international listings.

"We want to tackle the under-representation of African researchers in international indices such as Web of Science, Scopus and Pascal," says Taurai Imbayarwo, a Zimbabwean science metrics researcher and the founding director of AST.

Volunteer southern African scientists have been creating the database for the last ten months but AST hopes to survive as a functioning business by charging researchers from outside Africa — including researchers in the diaspora — to use it. It will be available free to African scientists and institutions by the end of 2010.

"There is good peer-reviewed science on the continent. But this science, for various reasons, is not visible. The number of African scientific journals is not known. Vast amounts of research never circulate beyond the author's institution," says Imbayarwo. 

"If research done in Africa by Africans is lowly cited internationally, it is hardly going to be utilised to improve the socioeconomic development of Africa and its peoples," he adds.

At least three consecutive issues of a journal are needed for evaluation prior to being registered by AST. If a journal is rejected, publishers can resubmit a year later.

So far all the journals have met international standards including peer-review, a diverse editorial board, and regular and timely publication, Imbayarwo says.

Ssempa Nurudean Norman, programme manager for the Agency for Science and Technology Advancement in Uganda, a partner in the initiative, says recording African scientists and their publications, whether working abroad or on the African continent, encourages greater scientific collaboration and sharing of expertise.

Source: SciDev Net

Egypt to get digital science library

The new digital library could boost the profile of Egyptian research

Patrice Cayré, IRD

[CAIRO] Egyptian research could get a higher profile with the creation of a digital library, part of a range of measures aiming to enhance the availability of scientific information.

The United States-based science diplomacy institute the Fulbright Academy of Science and Technology launched the US$60,000 project in early June.

As well as a digital library of locally-produced research, the Egyptian research community will have discounted access to journals produced by leading US scientific societies and international publishing houses, following the model of the Iraqi Virtual Science Library launched in 2006 (see Iraqi scientists get free access to research journals).

A third part of the project includes training in providing and accessing information for librarians, researchers and information professionals.

National Fulbright Alumni Groups — comprising people who have received a Fulbright scholarship — and institutions on both sides of the US–Egypt programme will be involved in the project. 

Egypt has the second-largest Fulbright programme in Africa, with more than 1,600 alumni.

Magdi Tawfik Abdelhamid, a researcher at Cairo's National Research Centre, Egypt, says that to eliminate duplication of efforts, the discounted access of journals should be linked to the web portal of Egyptian Universities Libraries (EUL).

EUL currently provides about 75 per cent of scientists in Egypt access to the full text of around 1,200 journals.

"In an ever-increasing digital age, especially with the harsh economic conditions resulting from the current global financial crisis, virtual libraries are the best choice for increasing the visibility and usability of academic research while lowering costs," Abdelhamid says.

Source: SciDev Net

Peter Murray Rust, responds to some leading questions

Cambridge scientist and Internet Librarian International keynote speaker, Dr Peter Murray Rust, sets out his views on social networking, the internet's biggest challenge, the future for libraries, books, the semantic web, and other stories...Peter Murray Rust, responds to some leading questions from ILI...

Q. How are social networking tools changing the ways scientists work?
A. Early adopters are wired in everywhere - we use Twitter in our group, I also use FriendFeed. Some use Facebook. Conventionalists poo-poo them, but it is changing.

Q. What does the semantic web hold for the future?
A. Limitless. Typical new arrivals this year are GoogleWave (collaborative, interactive, pervasive, communal, universal and Open) and Wolfram Alpha - a dark horse that goes beyond OWL-based reasoning.

Q. How do you see the future of libraries? Are they becoming obsolete?
A. For scientific research, probably. There is a need for purchasing which should be done nationally by specialists but most of the rest will be web-based.

Q. What's the biggest challenge facing the internet?
A. The destruction of Net-Neutrality (hot topic in European Parliament last month and still in danger). If we lose then Time-Warner and Disney will choose which sites are offered to us.

Q. Will print books ever be replaced by ebooks in an academic context?
A. Yes. It may take 20 years but exciting new technologies continue to evolve.

Q. What's your favourite website?
A. Wikipedia for content. mySociety because it represents the way we can change the world. OpenStreetmap.org because it shows true bottom-up liberation.

LIS Study Circle

Dear LIS Professionals,

An informal meeting cum dinner of the following LIS professionals took place at Punjab University Executive Club on Friday, 12^th June 2009.

• Prof. Dr. Khalid Mahmood, Dept. of Library & Information science, University of the Punjab, Lahore.
• Mr. Muhammad Ajmal Khan, Chief Librarian, FAST-National University of Computer & Emerging Sciences, Lahore.
• Mian Muhammad Ilyas, Chief Librarian, University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore
• Mr. Nadeem Saddique, System Librarian, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore
• Mr. Anwar Ejaz, Director Libraries, Punjab Group of Colleges, Lahore.
• Mr. Asif Kamal, Librarian, University of the Punjab, Lahore.
• Mr. Naveed ul Haq Hashmi, Abu Dhabi (Guest participation)
• Mr. ShafiqurRehman,  PhD Scholar, France.(Guest participation)
• Mr. Muhammad Rafiq, Senior Librarian, GC University, Lahore.

It was decided to establish a 'LIS Study Circle'. 'LIS Study Circle' will work as a platform to: promote learning and reading habits; enhance knowledge, skills and professional vision; and promote resource sharing and social networking among the information professionals.

The circle's meeting will be consists of discussion on a particular topic followed by dinner (self-financed basis). The discussion will be opened by a designated member with a brief topical presentation/lecture, etc. and followed by open discussion and brain storming session by the members, about the topic. It was also decided to maintain a weblog for the activities of the circle for archival purposes. At the end of discussion, a member will be nominated to prepare a topic for next meeting.

It was decided that the circle will be open for all LIS professionals and will meet monthly/fortnightly basis. 

Next meeting's topic is: Web 2.0/Web 3.0