International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications
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| International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications | |
|---|---|
| Name | International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications |
| Formation | 1987 |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Headquarters | Colombo |
| Region served | Global |
International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1987 to expand access to peer-reviewed research and scientific literature in low- and middle-income countries. The organization operates programs that distribute journal backfiles, negotiate discounted subscriptions, and support local journal development, interacting with a wide range of institutions and initiatives across the scholarly communications landscape. Its activities intersect with major universities, intergovernmental bodies, philanthropic foundations and professional societies.
History
The organization was established in the context of debates involving World Bank policies, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization initiatives, and scholarly responses following discussions at the Royal Society and meetings with representatives from Harvard University, Oxford University, and University of Tokyo. Early supporters included staff previously associated with the International Council for Science and the Council of Europe. Its inaugural convening drew participants from University of Cape Town, University of São Paulo, Indian Institute of Science, National University of Singapore, and representatives of publishers such as Elsevier, Wiley-Blackwell, and Springer Nature. Over subsequent decades the network engaged with programs led by World Health Organization, United Nations, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, while adapting to shifts in publishing exemplified by initiatives like arXiv, PubMed Central, and the Budapest Open Access Initiative.
Mission and Objectives
The network's stated mission aligns with goals articulated by entities such as Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and Wellcome Trust to reduce information asymmetry affecting researchers in regions represented by institutions like Makerere University, University of Nairobi, and Cairo University. Objectives emphasize improving availability of journals through partnerships with publishers including Taylor & Francis, Sage Publications, and IEEE, supporting capacity building at institutes like Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and University of Ibadan, and fostering regional scholarship linked to organizations such as African Academy of Sciences and Academia Sinica. The program references international norms advanced at forums like World Summit on the Information Society and UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education.
Organizational Structure and Governance
Governance models reflect practices common to bodies such as International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, Committee on Publication Ethics, and the Royal Society of Chemistry. A board with members drawn from universities including King's College London, McGill University, and University of Cape Town provides oversight, while an executive director liaises with advisory panels comprised of librarians from Library of Congress, researchers affiliated with Max Planck Society, and representatives from funding partners like European Commission programs and National Institutes of Health. Operational units coordinate regional hubs in cities comparable to Colombo, Nairobi, and Buenos Aires, and engage legal counsel versed in frameworks such as the Berne Convention and regulations referenced by the European Research Council.
Programs and Activities
Core activities parallel initiatives by HINARI, AGORA, and OARE and include negotiated access programs with publishers and consortia such as COUNTER and CrossRef. The network runs capacity-building workshops with partners like INASP, Association of Commonwealth Universities, and African Minds; supports metadata and discovery projects compatible with ORCID, DOAJ, and Scopus; and assists journal editors through training modeled on guidelines from COPE and indexing efforts referencing Web of Science standards. It has piloted repository support aligned with DSpace and OpenAIRE practices and coordinated with subject societies such as American Chemical Society, Royal Society, and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers for targeted access.
Partnerships and Funding
Partnerships span academic institutions including University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of Delhi, and Seoul National University; intergovernmental agencies such as United Nations Development Programme; and philanthropic entities like Ford Foundation. Funding sources have included grants and contracts from bodies comparable to European Union research programs, bilateral aid agencies analogous to DFID and USAID, and in-kind contributions from major publishers including Cambridge University Press and Elsevier. Collaborative agreements with regional consortia, national research councils such as National Research Foundation (South Africa), and indexing services like EBSCO underpin operational sustainability.
Impact and Criticism
Assessments of impact cite increased access metrics similar to those reported by PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, with testimonials from universities such as University of Ghana and Universidad de Chile and case studies involving the World Health Organization and Pan American Health Organization. Critics reference limitations identified in literature on scholarly communication reform influenced by debates at Berlin Open Access Conference and reports by Science and Nature, noting concerns about dependency on publisher goodwill, sustainability compared to mandates from institutions like European Research Council, and the slow pace relative to systemic alternatives championed by proponents of Plan S. Additional criticism mirrors discussions involving Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition positions and advocacy by groups such as SPARC and Electronic Frontier Foundation regarding intellectual property, pricing, and equity.