Research access and getting published: challenges in developing countries

10 July, 2017 Guest Contributor

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What does a day in the life of researcher or librarian in the global South look like? Here, university staff from Uganda, Zimbabwe and Ghana share their experiences of their daily work, accessing information and publishing research findings. Interviews by Katie Lewis Translating research into practical solutions is vital for overcoming big global challenges like hunger, disease, inequality and climate change. But for these practical solutions to be effective, it is important to understand the local context. In-depth and locally generated knowledge is key to solving local development issues.

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Sri Lankan library consortium provides electronic scholarly information to the country’s universities and research institutions

7 July, 2017 Guest Contributor

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Information access

To create a vibrant research culture and raise the ranking of Sri Lankan universities, it is vitally important that the academics and students, especially postgraduates, are provided with unhindered access to scholarly journals in their respective fields. The Sri Lankan Library Consortium (CONSAL), supported by INASP, has been a vital tool in providing electronic scholarly information to universities and research institutions in Sri Lanka, and its journey is one to be proud of. Sharanya Sekaram interviewed the Coordinator of CONSAL Pradeepa Wijetunga to find out more.

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What are publishers doing about global divides?

5 July, 2017 Guest Contributor

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Academic publishing, Information access

One of the speakers at next week’s Publishers for Development conference, Janet Remmington, gives a personal account of some of the work of the scholarly publisher Taylor & Francis towards addressing information needs in the global South. Our world is more connected than ever, and yet it is not. In our information age, publications and data abound, but we see global unevenness in the creation, availability, and application of knowledge resources. Open Access is importantly part of the picture, yet it is still evolving and does not come without its own challenges. Also, the very role of evidence-based findings and critical debate for addressing the problems and opportunities of our world is under threat. In the reality of our mixed economy, what are publishers doing to address information needs of the global South? In what follows, is a brief personal account of some of the work of Taylor & Francis.

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Why opening up access to research findings in the global South will accelerate international development

19 June, 2017 Guest Contributor

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Information access

Dr Nilam Ashra-McGrath works for COMDIS-HSD, which is a consortium of NGOs in Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Swaziland and the UK, and the University of Leeds, that does research on health service delivery interventions for a range of communicable and non-communicable diseases. In this post, she shares some of the challenges that the knowledge sector faces and reflects on the importance of access to research for NGO researchers. Research findings should be as accessible as possible. To my mind, there’s no doubt that opening up and speeding up access to research will be a powerful force in meeting international development targets. Giving access to everyone – citizens, NGOs, students, activists, government staff, donors and philanthropists – has the potential to reduce the amount of duplication in research and increase the level of scrutiny as to how research is funded, interpreted and used by different parties. This enables citizens to hold multiple parties to account.

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Strengthening leadership in libraries by learning from emerging future

16 June, 2017 Kemal Shaheen

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Information access

Kemal Shaheen discusses how learning to reflect and adapt opens up new possibilities. He shares how this approach is making a difference to the strength and sustainability of Southern library networks.

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Enabling access to research in public institutions: emerging insights

14 June, 2017 Faaria Hussain

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Evidence for policy, Information access

Addressing lack of access to e-resources in public institutions brings together two streams of focus at INASP: using research and knowledge for national development and sharing and communicating research knowledge.

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