Enabling International Digital Projects: Lessons Learned Association of Research Libraries 148 th Members Meeting Ottawa, Ontario 18 May 2006 Wendy D. White Director, Board on International Scientific Organizations

Board on International Scientific Organizations Why support science? Promotes moderation and rationalityPromotes moderation and rationality Supports the development of the knowledge societySupports the development of the knowledge society Promotes transparency, democracy, and meritocracy – inherent principles of sciencePromotes transparency, democracy, and meritocracy – inherent principles of science Underpinning of economic developmentUnderpinning of economic development

Board on International Scientific Organizations Why Build S&T Digital Libraries? Global questions currently on the scientific agenda require increased multidisciplinary and international collaboration Intrinsic nature of science is universal, its success depends on cooperation, interaction and exchange, often beyond national boundaries Scientists must have open access to each other and to scientific data and information

Board on International Scientific Organizations S&T Digital Library Consortia PERI -- INASP HINARI – World Health Organization AGORA – Food and Agriculture Organization EiFL These digital library projects provide discounted access to published collections. They are not projects that collect and digitize local information, artifacts, etc.

Board on International Scientific Organizations Common Characteristics Support capacity building in the research sector in developing and transitional countries by strengthening access to S&T information Negotiated consortia licensing No cost at point of use Available only in countries without large markets for publishers

Board on International Scientific Organizations Common Characteristics Countrywide access available to not-for- profit institutes Publishers provide low-price access to high- value, high-impact content Definitions and criteria for inclusion may vary but goals are basically the same

Board on International Scientific Organizations PERI/INASP Local research community identifies required resources Implemented in a planned and phased manner – more than 50 countries involved in some part of program Access to over 17,000 full text journals Links to open literature, not controlled by licenses

Board on International Scientific Organizations PERI/INASP Program components include: –Delivering information –Strengthening national research publications –Enhancing ICT skills –Supporting country collaboration and networking –Initiating research and development Sustainable program – countries share in costs

Board on International Scientific Organizations HINARI/WHO Health and biomedical focus 3280 full text online journals institutions registered in 106 countries HINARI users logged onto system 98,000 times in April 2006

Board on International Scientific Organizations AGORA/FAO Agriculture and related biological, environmental and social sciences 849 journals to institutions in 69 countries849 journals

Board on International Scientific Organizations eIFL - Electronic Information for Libraries/SOROS eIFL aims to facilitate affordable access to electronic scholarly resources by libraries in about 40 countries in transition.eIFL Along with its services promoting access to content in social sciences and humanities as well as science and technology, eIFL also offers various programs that support library consortium building in countries in transition.eIFL

Board on International Scientific Organizations NAS Experience with Digital Libraries for Developing Countries WDW member of INASP Board of Trustees, MLS, 30+ years of work in 50+ countries NAS provides it own journal, PNAS, available to developing countries Guidance from INASP’s PERI project Completed two digital library projects – Pakistan and Iraq

Board on International Scientific Organizations Pakistan Digital Library The “add-on” model Higher Education Commission in Pakistan had digital library project – and provided central funding for and control over digital library for all colleges and universities Strong ministry provided financial and staff support Funds from DoS, via bi-lateral S&T agreement

Board on International Scientific Organizations Pakistan Digital Library Researchers identified additional resources primarily from U.S. scientific societies Turned to NAS to help negotiate differential prices Single point of contact – expert partner INASP provided expert negotiator Gained participation from all target publishers

Board on International Scientific Organizations Iraq Virtual Science Library The “from scratch” model -- no existing digital library Technology infrastructure compromised by looting, war No logical in-country partner Not a participant in PERI -- but HINARI operating in Iraq Project funded by DoD, through DoS, to NAS

Board on International Scientific Organizations Iraq Virtual Science Library Recruited project manager of Pakistan digital library Identified highest impact S&T journals Started with publishers from Pakistan project Asked publishers for deep discounts and they responded

Board on International Scientific Organizations Iraq Virtual Science Library Iraq suffered deterioration of scientific, technical, and educational infrastructure during 30 years of Saddam Hussein’s rule NAS not responsible for technical aspects of project but had to work with DoD to overcome unique problems Had to work around IP address problem and allow access from Internet cafes, etc.

Board on International Scientific Organizations Iraq Virtual Science Library Website hosted at DoD Licenses held by NAS Access limited to 7 universities, plus 2 ministries, and 1 research organization Need to verify that users were from these institutions – use of “registrar”

Board on International Scientific Organizations IVSL Participants American Chemical Society American Physical Society American Institute of Physics American Mathematical Society Association for Computing Machinery American Society for Civil Engineering American Society of Mechanical Engineers Annual Reviews Elsevier Publishing EBSCO PublishingEBSCO Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ISI Web of Knowledge / Thomson ScientificISI Web of Knowledge JSTOR MIT OpenCourseWare SpringerLink

Board on International Scientific Organizations Digital Libraries Outcome Both projects provide scientists, engineers, physicians, researchers, and students with electronic access to over 17,000 journals and their archives, containing millions of articles on science and engineering, as well as online training and educational materials, and information on funding opportunities.

Board on International Scientific Organizations Digital Libraries Outcome In Iraq, $11 million of resources available for $170,000 Nearly 80% of the Iraqi higher education community, and government scientists, with access to the same scientific content available at any top-tier university in the United States.

Board on International Scientific Organizations FAQ’s How will you translate all the articles into English? –Articles are full text in language in which they were published. There is no translation. English is the “language of science.”

Board on International Scientific Organizations FAQ’s Why are there no journals in my field? –There probably are but you need to know how to find them. Also, with limited budget, we went after highest impact journals.

Board on International Scientific Organizations FAQ’s How did you decide what to include? –In Pakistan, content was determined via a survey of the researchers –In Iraq, we went for mainstream S&T journals with highest impact. –In both countries, we excluded content available through any of the other consortia operating in those countries

Board on International Scientific Organizations FAQ’s What if an Iraqi researcher learns something he or she shouldn’t? –Journals are in public domain, have been through peer review –Nothing in IVSL that is not available to anyone with a library card

Board on International Scientific Organizations FAQ’s How do you make these partnerships work? –Each partner had different language and slightly different goal. Much of project was “management by committee.” NAS exercised final authority only in content negotiations and made clear that deals reached are “business confidential.”

Board on International Scientific Organizations FAQ’s How did you deal with the press? –Each in our own way! –Sample press releases prove different style

Board on International Scientific Organizations Do They Even Have Computers There? Yes, of course.

Board on International Scientific Organizations Lessons Learned Need strong leadership – ministry level support willing to put in $$ and political will Need receptive scientific community Flexibility in addressing technical infrastructure problems. Start with what is available and build from there. Build it and they will come.

Board on International Scientific Organizations Lessons Learned Base agreement with publishers on business models to provide for sustainability and to protect publishers interests –Basic pricing model was country-wide license for price of one institution, plus 90% discount Don’t ask for 95% discounts where publishers have strong subscription base Much can be done before licenses are negotiated. Get people started with free, public-access material

Board on International Scientific Organizations Wendy D. White Director, Board on International Scientific Organizations The National Academies 500 5th Street NW, Washington, D.C Tel: ; Fax: Web: