North-South Divide –North-South Divide –why Open Access in Africa?why Open Access in Africa?

Catherine DubbeldCatherine DubbeldUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalUniversity of KwaZulu-Natal

Durban, South AfricaDurban, South Africa

The North-South DivideThe North-South Divide Socioeconomic and political division Socioeconomic and political division

between wealthy developed between wealthy developed countries (“the North” and the poorer countries (“the North” and the poorer developing countries (“the South”)developing countries (“the South”)

Not really a geographical term Not really a geographical term North = rich, South = poorNorth = rich, South = poor Sometimes called the Development Sometimes called the Development

GapGap WikipediaWikipedia, June 2007, June 2007

““When it first appeared, the internet When it first appeared, the internet seemed…[as though it] would enable the seemed…[as though it] would enable the

planet to become the ‘global village’ planet to become the ‘global village’ envisaged by Marshall McLuhan. Through envisaged by Marshall McLuhan. Through the Web, the poor countries would be able the Web, the poor countries would be able to benefit, with unprecedented ease, from a to benefit, with unprecedented ease, from a

myriad of databases, from training, from myriad of databases, from training, from online courses, all of which would provide online courses, all of which would provide access to the knowledge society and allow access to the knowledge society and allow these countries to catch up progressively these countries to catch up progressively

with the pack of prosperous nations”with the pack of prosperous nations”The New CourierThe New Courier, [2005, [2005]]

The Digital DivideThe Digital Divide Technological gap between North Technological gap between North

and Southand South Often seen as closely related to Often seen as closely related to

North-South DivideNorth-South Divide WideningWidening

YearYear NorthNorth SouthSouth SourceSource

19991999 90% internet 90% internet usersusers

1% (Africa / 1% (Africa / Middle East)Middle East)

PNUD ReportPNUD Report(ETIC)(ETIC)

20032003 19% of world 19% of world has 91% has 91% usersusers

1/3 of world 1/3 of world population population has no has no electricityelectricity

The New The New CourierCourier

20052005 1 of every 3 1 of every 3 people owns people owns a PCa PC

1 out of every 1 out of every 130 people in 130 people in Africa owns a Africa owns a PCPC

The New The New CourierCourier

Bridging the Digital DivideBridging the Digital Divide WSIS – World Summit on the Information WSIS – World Summit on the Information

Society, Geneva 2003Society, Geneva 2003 & Tunis 2005& Tunis 2005

• DD can be bridged if consensus on meansDD can be bridged if consensus on means• Declaration of Principles and 28-point action Declaration of Principles and 28-point action

planplan• Definition of the knowledge societyDefinition of the knowledge society• President Wade of Senegal suggested a digital President Wade of Senegal suggested a digital

solidarity fundsolidarity fund Support from other organisations Support from other organisations

• IFAP, ETIC and many othersIFAP, ETIC and many others

The Knowledge SocietyThe Knowledge Society

More than the Information Society becauseMore than the Information Society because Includes issues of development of content Includes issues of development of content

& diversity – Axel Plathe& diversity – Axel Plathe Not just transmission of information but Not just transmission of information but

also content and usealso content and use Equipment needs social capital to help Equipment needs social capital to help

when it breaks downwhen it breaks down Cultural capital needed to know where to Cultural capital needed to know where to

look for information - Eric Guichardlook for information - Eric Guichard

Digital LiteracyDigital Literacy IFAP launched to develop digital literacy where IFAP launched to develop digital literacy where

access to the Web is poor; many other initiativesaccess to the Web is poor; many other initiatives Diversity of language use on Web needs to be Diversity of language use on Web needs to be

improvedimproved Need for content relevant to developing countriesNeed for content relevant to developing countries Growth of Internet use in sub-Saharan Africa:Growth of Internet use in sub-Saharan Africa:

• 1995: 23 000 Internet users 1995: 23 000 Internet users • 2005: nearly 9 million Internet users2005: nearly 9 million Internet users

Developing nations sometimes do it betterDeveloping nations sometimes do it better• Bypass older technologies & infrastructureBypass older technologies & infrastructure• Far more people online when economies boomFar more people online when economies boom• Better broadband accessBetter broadband access

Open AccessOpen Access Access to digital scholarly & research Access to digital scholarly & research

materialmaterial Immediate free and unrestricted online Immediate free and unrestricted online

access via the Internet to published & access via the Internet to published & peer-reviewed journal articlespeer-reviewed journal articles

Either through open access journalsEither through open access journals (gold) or(gold) or Through institutional repositories (green)Through institutional repositories (green)

Why is Open Access Why is Open Access relevant to Africa?relevant to Africa?

Brief history of OABrief history of OA

Brief History of Open AccessBrief History of Open AccessA good way to promote scholarly communicationA good way to promote scholarly communication

• In the 17In the 17thth century, journals were an effective way of century, journals were an effective way of sharing scientific research with other scientists, so sharing scientific research with other scientists, so content was extremely importantcontent was extremely important

• No author paid – or was paidNo author paid – or was paid• Other scientists read and responded to the published Other scientists read and responded to the published

work work • Costs were paid by patrons and subscriptionCosts were paid by patrons and subscription• Administration of publication was usually unpaidAdministration of publication was usually unpaid• Publishers were academic societies and university Publishers were academic societies and university

pressespresses• Libraries were seen as good places to make the journals Libraries were seen as good places to make the journals

available to others besides the subscribersavailable to others besides the subscribers

The model as beforeThe model as before In spite of the rise of capitalism made possible by In spite of the rise of capitalism made possible by

the industrial revolution, this model survived until the industrial revolution, this model survived until well into the 20well into the 20thth century century

There were some changes – peer review was There were some changes – peer review was formalised and subscriptions were more formalised and subscriptions were more important revenue sources than patronageimportant revenue sources than patronage

Prices rose, but not too drasticallyPrices rose, but not too drastically Libraries were still very good agents for making Libraries were still very good agents for making

the information availablethe information available Everything else stayed more or less the sameEverything else stayed more or less the same

Enter the robber baron of Enter the robber baron of the information agethe information age

After WWII, Robert Maxwell of Pergamon Press After WWII, Robert Maxwell of Pergamon Press started buying up academic journals and small started buying up academic journals and small university pressesuniversity presses

He took over the “burden” of publishing & He took over the “burden” of publishing & administration, “so academics could concentrate administration, “so academics could concentrate on research”on research”

He charged them for publishing their articles He charged them for publishing their articles “ “to pay for the administrative costs”to pay for the administrative costs” He took over author copyrightHe took over author copyright Prices went up, especially for librariesPrices went up, especially for libraries But authors and reviewers remained unpaidBut authors and reviewers remained unpaid

ConsequencesConsequences Maxwell and other commercial publishers made Maxwell and other commercial publishers made

huge profit margins and their empires grewhuge profit margins and their empires grew Expensive journals became the place to publishExpensive journals became the place to publish Research councils funded research more highly in Research councils funded research more highly in

this kind of journal, because everyone read themthis kind of journal, because everyone read them Library budgets became more and more strainedLibrary budgets became more and more strained Universities lost control of their own researchUniversities lost control of their own research Content became gradually less important than Content became gradually less important than

deliverydelivery The situation was accepted by academics The situation was accepted by academics

because of their need to publish their research, because of their need to publish their research, and because there seemed to be no alternativeand because there seemed to be no alternative

The quiet revolution The quiet revolution The internet was developing – non-The internet was developing – non-

journal scholarly communication journal scholarly communication started to use this new medium to started to use this new medium to express ideasexpress ideas

In the early nineties, the World Wide In the early nineties, the World Wide Web was bornWeb was born

With the Web came opportunities to With the Web came opportunities to publish in a new way, and a publish in a new way, and a potentially unlimited audiencepotentially unlimited audience

Major context changesMajor context changes Internet archiving initiatives such as arXiv, SPARC Internet archiving initiatives such as arXiv, SPARC

& OAI made it possible to archive research papers & OAI made it possible to archive research papers and share them with other researchers without and share them with other researchers without having to pay expensive page chargeshaving to pay expensive page charges

Libraries started cost-sharing consortiaLibraries started cost-sharing consortia The development of electronic journals made the The development of electronic journals made the

option of publishing in open access journals option of publishing in open access journals possiblepossible

Libraries began cancelling print journals in favour Libraries began cancelling print journals in favour of electronic journalsof electronic journals

Some libraries cancelled for-profit journals in Some libraries cancelled for-profit journals in favour of open access journals favour of open access journals

Reactions Reactions Academics were unwilling to lose Academics were unwilling to lose

research fundingresearch funding Research funders were not convinced Research funders were not convinced

of the worth and viability of open of the worth and viability of open access journalsaccess journals

The Open Access Movement started The Open Access Movement started off slowly, but rapidly picked up off slowly, but rapidly picked up speedspeed

Agents accelerating changeAgents accelerating change A number of studies showed that citations A number of studies showed that citations

for articles in open access journals were for articles in open access journals were higher than those in for-profit journalshigher than those in for-profit journals

A number of public bodies, such as the A number of public bodies, such as the National Library of Medicine (which made National Library of Medicine (which made PubMed available in 1997), made a stand PubMed available in 1997), made a stand on the issue of tax dollar-funded research on the issue of tax dollar-funded research having to be in the public domainhaving to be in the public domain

Open access advocacy became Open access advocacy became increasingly more effectiveincreasingly more effective

Developments in 2005 & 2006Developments in 2005 & 2006 2005 - Major health funders, US National Institutes of Health 2005 - Major health funders, US National Institutes of Health

& Wellcome Trust, strongly encouraged self-archiving of & Wellcome Trust, strongly encouraged self-archiving of articles soon after publicationarticles soon after publication

Research councils began reviewing policies in favour of Research councils began reviewing policies in favour of open accessopen access• 2004 Canada Social Science & Humanities Research Council2004 Canada Social Science & Humanities Research Council• Research Councils UK reviewing policy on access to research Research Councils UK reviewing policy on access to research

outputsoutputs• 2006 (April) European Commission study on publicly funded 2006 (April) European Commission study on publicly funded

researchresearch• 2006 (May) US Federal Research Public Access Act introduced 2006 (May) US Federal Research Public Access Act introduced

in Congressin Congress OA peer reviewed journals increasing rapidlyOA peer reviewed journals increasing rapidly

• DOAJ 2600 IN 2007 (25% increase over 2006)DOAJ 2600 IN 2007 (25% increase over 2006)• Open J-Gate 2000Open J-Gate 2000

2005-2006 continued2005-2006 continued Resignations of many editorial boards of Resignations of many editorial boards of

for-profit journals to start OA journalsfor-profit journals to start OA journals For-profit journals including OA journals in For-profit journals including OA journals in

their lists, experimenting with different their lists, experimenting with different models of payment, & allowing pre- & models of payment, & allowing pre- & postprints to be archivedpostprints to be archived

For-profit journals anti-OA campaign For-profit journals anti-OA campaign backfiresbackfires

The debate continuesThe debate continues

Why is Open Access relevant to Why is Open Access relevant to Africa?Africa?

Why not?Why not?

Why is Open Access Why is Open Access relevant to Africa?relevant to Africa?

It’s a way of leapfrogging over the Digital Divide, enabling It’s a way of leapfrogging over the Digital Divide, enabling development and innovationdevelopment and innovation

It’s a way of making sure that researchers working in Africa It’s a way of making sure that researchers working in Africa get visibility in the world, and can be aware of what other get visibility in the world, and can be aware of what other researchers in Africa are doingresearchers in Africa are doing

By putting research results in the public domain, discussion By putting research results in the public domain, discussion is made possible and further innovation enabledis made possible and further innovation enabled

It’s a way of paying back to the continent whose research It’s a way of paying back to the continent whose research resources have been as heavily plundered as its other resources have been as heavily plundered as its other resourcesresources

It’s a way of using social and cultural capital to foster digital It’s a way of using social and cultural capital to foster digital literacyliteracy

Etc, etcEtc, etc

Some African initiativesSome African initiatives African Journals Online - 1998African Journals Online - 1998 www.ajol.info/www.ajol.info/ African Digital Library - 1999African Digital Library - 1999

africaeducation.org/adl/africaeducation.org/adl/ HINARI - 2002 HINARI - 2002 Database of African Theses and Dissertations – 2003 Database of African Theses and Dissertations – 2003

www.aau.org/datadwww.aau.org/datad Africa’s Open Knowledge Network - 2003Africa’s Open Knowledge Network - 2003 African Online Digital LibraryAfrican Online Digital Library www.aodl.org/www.aodl.org/ PanAfriL10n PanAfriL10n

www.panafril10n.org/wikidoc/pmwiki.php/PanAfrLoc/HomePwww.panafril10n.org/wikidoc/pmwiki.php/PanAfrLoc/HomePageage

ConclusionConclusion“…“…Access to information is a pre-condition for Access to information is a pre-condition for

becoming a knowledge society. Acknowledging a becoming a knowledge society. Acknowledging a right of access to information not only allows right of access to information not only allows access to the ideas of others, but also opens up access to the ideas of others, but also opens up the opportunity to participate in the global the opportunity to participate in the global information-based socio-economic and political information-based socio-economic and political activities… the right of access to information has activities… the right of access to information has become the dominant right in the information and become the dominant right in the information and knowledge era.” knowledge era.”

(PJ Lor & JJ Brits (2007). ‘Is a knowledge society (PJ Lor & JJ Brits (2007). ‘Is a knowledge society possible without freedom of access to possible without freedom of access to information?’)information?’)