November 2004 - LIS-Forum - ncsi.iisc.ernet.in

RE: [LIS-Forum] Let's unite!
by r asha 08 Nov '04

08 Nov '04

Dear Hena, This is really a good idea, hope you received lot of mail reply to this. If the zonal wise is not fesiable, at least Bangalore IT companies can meet every Quarter/half yearly. Interested people can send a mail to Hena, to take it further. Hena, i would like to include my name in this list. Regards, Asha.R Aztec Software & Technology Services Ltd Maruthi Chambers 17/9C & 17/4C, Hosur Road Rupena Agrahara Bangalore-560068 Ph :- 080-51100582 - 86 e-mail: ashar(a)aztec.soft.net >From: "HENAG" <HENAG(a)infosys.com> >To: "prafulla tv" <tallurivpc(a)yahoo.com>, <lis-forum(a)ncsi.iisc.ernet.in> >Subject: RE: [LIS-Forum] Let's unite! >Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2004 11:18:18 +0530 > >Hi all, > >Thanks , a very good idea . Someone will have to convene the group with a >selected topic for discussion . >Who will take care of it , We may meet every Quarter/ half yearly Zone >wise . > >We will have to decide for expenses, for venue topic and so on . I can >volunteer myself actively for helping the convennor. Onus would be on the >convennor to decide the venue and the budget collection procedure. > >Let the interested members reply for it then it can be decided how we go >about it . South zone --- (Hyderabad, Tamilnadu, Kerala, Karnataka, >Chennai)may Join together for meeting. > > >Regards >Hena S Gupta >Infosys Technologies Lts > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: lis-forum-bounces(a)ncsi.iisc.ernet.in >[mailto:lis-forum-bounces@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in]On Behalf Of prafulla tv >Sent: Friday, October 08, 2004 6:51 PM >To: lis-forum(a)ncsi.iisc.ernet.in >Subject: [LIS-Forum] Let's unite! > > >Dear All, >Here's an email posted by Shri Prakash to Corporate >Librarians Group: > >_________________________________________ >It is better to work under one group, instead of >having so many groups of same profession.Since, most >of the same members are appearing in so many >groups.So, according to me, all the professional >group should come under one umbrella.We can share our >ideas and professional opportunities and difficulties >with one another. > >We should encourage more and more professionals, to >join this group. At least one member should invite one >professional. > >Kindly share your view, regarding the unification of >Librarians group. > > >With regards >Prakash Gouda >Dy. Librarian >FORE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT >B-18, QUTAB. INSTT. AREA >NEW DELHI-110016 > >__________________________________________ > >How about using LIS-FORUM as the single communication >point by all Indian LIS professionals: teachers as >well as practising library professionals. LIS-FORUM >has excellent institutional base and good service >track record. Perhaps, it has the largest number of >subscribers among all Indian LIS email lists. > >Let's avoid posting same messages to multiple lists. >Its sheer wastage of time and Internet bandwidth. > >These are some of the issues which we need to think >about: >How can we improve the quality of postings? >How to increase participation of all Indian LIS >professionals? > >Is it not high time to provide to the Indian general >public/foreign correspondents a single communication >point from where they can address Indian LIS >profession. > >We subscribe to multiple lists with a hope to receive >new content but not just repetition of the same >message. > > >Thank you >Sincerely > >T.V. Prafulla Chandra > > >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around >http://mail.yahoo.com >_______________________________________________ >LIS-Forum mailing list >LIS-Forum(a)ncsi.iisc.ernet.in >http://ncsi.iisc.ernet.in/mailman/listinfo/lis-forum > >_______________________________________________ >LIS-Forum mailing list >LIS-Forum(a)ncsi.iisc.ernet.in >http://ncsi.iisc.ernet.in/mailman/listinfo/lis-forum Regards, R.Asha Ph-3105574 & 3229474 e-mail: rashaimrlib(a)hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ The all-new MSN Search. Get fast and precise results. http://search.msn.co.in Try it now!

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Re: [LIS-Forum] Medical Journals seeking FDI
by Sukhdev Singh 05 Nov '04

05 Nov '04

This is an interesting story and it concerns us. I only wish, I could find out what could be actual motive behind it. Medical Publishing in India has been (like others disciplines) restricted to Society/Academic publications. So far commercial ventures in scholarly publications are concerned, the picture is not so bright. IJCP Group (Indian Journal of Clinical Practice http://www.ijcpgroup.com/) does publish some good "Popular" medical content. However, one attempt by India Today Group to publish "Indian Journal of Applied Medicine" could not survive more than one year perhaps. The Society/Academic medical publications are available at ridiculously low price, just few hundred rupees per annum. No wonder, more and more of them are available through "Free Access". [Free Access here means without any cost to end-user however it does not mean "Open Access"]. In this Free Access Arena, we are also playing some role. We have a project, medIND (http://medind.nic.in), which aims to provide single point full text free access to Indian Medical Journals. Do not take it as a compilation of some links...It has full text contents of 27 medical journals. These are not just any journals!! These are indexed journals. Indexed either with us ( IndMED, http://indmed.nic.in) or with MEDLINE. There are some other private ventures providing Free Access to Indian Medical Journals. I know few, Indmedica (http://indmedica.com/), Indegene (http://www.indegene.com/Corporate/home.html) and Bioline International (http://www.bioline.org.br/). More and more Journals themselves are having their own online presence. Some of these do provide full text and free access. Thanks to MEDKNOW Publications (http://www.medknow.com/). In the Arena of "Open Access" (Free Access with Redistribution Rights) we do have plans. Please, wait for some few months; you will soon hear something about it, in this FORUM. Though it is a different model, but we are confident to make it a success with our experience and strategy. Regards Sukhdev Singh Principal Systems Analyst Bibliographic Informatics Division (Indian Medlars Centre) National Informatics Centre A-Block, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 110003 http://indmed.nic.in On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 Vyasamoorthy(a)icicikp.com wrote : >Please see the following news item on many journals (among other periodicals) form India seeking Foreign Direct Investment. If this happens, even Indian journals would start asking for heavy copyright fees for supplying Journal articles. In this context pushing hard for starting Open Archives including legal measures supporting this facility is needed. >Regards >Vyasamoorthy, P > >=============== > >http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=73117 > >NEW DELHI: Around 60 publications, across news and specialty categories, are awaiting foreign investment, according to sources. While most of these are English newspapers/magazines, regional publications are also making a pitch for foreign investment, it is learnt. > >Many of these applications, mainly specialty/technical journals, are understood to be in the process of getting the government nod. Medical journals form a large chunk of publications seeking foreign investment, sources said. > >When contacted, a senior official in the information and broadcasting ministry, refused to share any information regarding the pending applications. "I cannot indicate numbers or names," he told FE. He, however, added that very often there was a delay in clearing applications, as companies did not furnish sufficient information. > >Under normal circumstances, clearances/comments from various ministries take about a month or so. Besides the administrative ministry - I&B - others consulted, through an inter-ministerial committee, include finance, commerce and industry, external affairs and home. Depending on the subject matter of the publication, comments from ministries such as health and sports could also be sought, it is learnt. In addition, companies are required to get clearance from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). > >Among the media groups which have already been granted clearance for foreign investment include Business Standard, Hindustan Times, Living Media and Bennett Coleman. Among others, Bennett Coleman's application to publish Wall Street Journal from India is still being examined. Earlier, Cybermedia's request to publish BusinessWeek from the country was not considered by the government. > >Sources indicated that till the International Herald Tribune (IHT) issue is resolved, the government may not like to deal with news publications. Hyderabad-based Midram Publications had started printing IHT from India a few months ago, stirring a controversy. As per current government norms, foreign news publications cannot be printed in India. > >Foreign investment was allowed in print media around two years ago. While up to 26% foreign direct investment is allowed in news, specialty and technical journals can go up to 74% foreign investment. > >================== > >Dr.P.Vyasamoorthy, Advisor, Virtual Information Centre, >ICICI Knowledge Park, Genome Valley, Turkapally, Shameerpet Mandal, >RR District, Hyderabad 500078 INDIA >Email: vyasamoorthy(a)icicikp.com >Phone - Office: +91(40)23480053 Fax: +91(40)23480007 Phone Residence: +91(40)27846631 > >_______________________________________________ >LIS-Forum mailing list >LIS-Forum(a)ncsi.iisc.ernet.in >http://ncsi.iisc.ernet.in/mailman/listinfo/lis-forum http://clients.rediff.com/signature/track_sig.asp http://ads.rediff.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_nx.cgi/www.rediffmail.com/inbo… This is an interesting story and it concerns us. I only wish, I could find out what could be actual motive behind it. Medical Publishing in India has been (like others disciplines) restricted to Society/Academic publications. So far commercial ventures in scholarly publications are concerned, the picture is not so bright. IJCP Group (Indian Journal of Clinical Practice http://www.ijcpgroup.com/) does publish some good "Popular" medical content. However, one attempt by India Today Group to publish "Indian Journal of Applied Medicine" could not survive more than one year perhaps. The Society/Academic medical publications are available at ridiculously low price, just few hundred rupees per annum. No wonder, more and more of them are available through "Free Access". [Free Access here means without any cost to end-user however it does not mean "Open Access"]. In this Free Access Arena, we are also playing some role. We have a project, medIND (http://medind.nic.in), which aims to provide single point full text free access to Indian Medical Journals. Do not take it as a compilation of some links...It has full text contents of 27 medical journals. These are not just any journals!! These are indexed journals. Indexed either with us ( IndMED, http://indmed.nic.in) or with MEDLINE. There are some other private ventures providing Free Access to Indian Medical Journals. I know few, Indmedica (http://indmedica.com/), Indegene (http://www.indegene.com/Corporate/home.html) and Bioline International (http://www.bioline.org.br/). More and more Journals themselves are having their own online presence. Some of these do provide full text and free access. Thanks to MEDKNOW Publications (http://www.medknow.com/). In the Arena of "Open Access" (Free Access with Redistribution Rights) we do have plans. Please, wait for some few months; you will soon hear something about it, in this FORUM. Though it is a different model, but we are confident to make it a success with our experience and strategy. Regards Sukhdev Singh Principal Systems Analyst Bibliographic Informatics Division (Indian Medlars Centre) National Informatics Centre A-Block, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 110003 http://indmed.nic.in On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 Vyasamoorthy(a)icicikp.com wrote : >Please see the following news item on many journals (among other periodicals) form India seeking Foreign Direct Investment. If this happens, even Indian journals would start asking for heavy copyright fees for supplying Journal articles. In this context pushing hard for starting Open Archives including legal measures supporting this facility is needed. >Regards >Vyasamoorthy, P > >=============== > >http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=73117 > >NEW DELHI: Around 60 publications, across news and specialty categories, are awaiting foreign investment, according to sources. While most of these are English newspapers/magazines, regional publications are also making a pitch for foreign investment, it is learnt. > >Many of these applications, mainly specialty/technical journals, are understood to be in the process of getting the government nod. Medical journals form a large chunk of publications seeking foreign investment, sources said. > >When contacted, a senior official in the information and broadcasting ministry, refused to share any information regarding the pending applications. "I cannot indicate numbers or names," he told FE. He, however, added that very often there was a delay in clearing applications, as companies did not furnish sufficient information. > >Under normal circumstances, clearances/comments from various ministries take about a month or so. Besides the administrative ministry - I&B - others consulted, through an inter-ministerial committee, include finance, commerce and industry, external affairs and home. Depending on the subject matter of the publication, comments from ministries such as health and sports could also be sought, it is learnt. In addition, companies are required to get clearance from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). > >Among the media groups which have already been granted clearance for foreign investment include Business Standard, Hindustan Times, Living Media and Bennett Coleman. Among others, Bennett Coleman's application to publish Wall Street Journal from India is still being examined. Earlier, Cybermedia's request to publish BusinessWeek from the country was not considered by the government. > >Sources indicated that till the International Herald Tribune (IHT) issue is resolved, the government may not like to deal with news publications. Hyderabad-based Midram Publications had started printing IHT from India a few months ago, stirring a controversy. As per current government norms, foreign news publications cannot be printed in India. > >Foreign investment was allowed in print media around two years ago. While up to 26% foreign direct investment is allowed in news, specialty and technical journals can go up to 74% foreign investment. > >================== > >Dr.P.Vyasamoorthy, Advisor, Virtual Information Centre, >ICICI Knowledge Park, Genome Valley, Turkapally, Shameerpet Mandal, >RR District, Hyderabad 500078 INDIA >Email: vyasamoorthy(a)icicikp.com >Phone - Office: +91(40)23480053 Fax: +91(40)23480007 Phone Residence: +91(40)27846631 > >_______________________________________________ >LIS-Forum mailing list >LIS-Forum(a)ncsi.iisc.ernet.in >http://ncsi.iisc.ernet.in/mailman/listinfo/lis-forum

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Announcements from SIS-2005
by JK Vijayakumar 05 Nov '04

05 Nov '04

Hello Colleagues, Greetings!! Organising committee selected following professionals as main resource persons for SIS-2005. Conference Director: Prof M.P.Satija, Dept. of Library and Information Science, Sri Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar Tutorials: *Dspace: Dr A.R.D.Prasad, Professor, D.R.T.C., Bangalore. *E-Publishing: Dr M.G.Sreekumar Librarian, IIM Kozhikode Theme Papers: 1. Dr E.Rama Reddy University Librarian, Central University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad. 2. Dr Harishchandra Librarian, IIT Madras Chennai. 3. Prof C R Karisiddappa Dept. of Library and Information Science Karnatka University, Dharwad. 4. Prof Roshan Lal Raina Librarian, IIM Lucknow Lucknow. 2. Announcements: The Organizing Committee resolved to facilitate the participants from SAARC countries to pay the registration and accomodation amounts in Rupees on par with Indian participants i.e.Rs 1200 and and Rs 600/. The Organizing Committee would like to encourage the young LIS professionals by sponsoring two Research Scholars and two MLIS students for free participation in the Conference and they will be paid T.A. by train (Second class sleeper) in shortest route possible. The Heads of Departments of LIS are requested to nominate suitable candidates. For updates on SIS-2005, visit the conference site at http://sis-india.netfirms.com/sis2005.htm -------------- Prof. RSR Varalakshmi Organising Secretary SIS-2005 Professor and HOD, Dept. of Library and Information Science., Andhra University. Visakhapatnam. E-Mail - rvsn4321(a)yahoo.co.in Phone - 91 891 2844385-7(O); 91 891 2535251(R) __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page. www.yahoo.com

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Library automation discussed at PLANNER convention
by JK Vijayakumar 05 Nov '04

05 Nov '04

Library automation discussed at convention The Imphal Free Press http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=headline&newsid=20385&typeid… IMPHAL, Nov 4: The second convention of Promotion of Library Automation and Networking in North Eastern Region, PLANNER began today at the Centenary Hall, Manipur University under the theme Content Creation, Access and Management in Networked Environment. The two-day event is being organised by INFLIBNET centre, UGC based in Ahmedabad. The opening day�s programme was attended by the chairperson of the Manipur Human Rights Commission, Justice WA Shishak as the chief guest, vice-chancellor of university, Prof N Bijoy as the president and deputy director of UGC Bangladesh, Abdul Awal as the guest of honour. Other important participants included chief coordinator, Premchand, university deans and staff. On the occasion, WA Shishak released a book and Prof N Bijoy released a souvenir. In his address, Abdul Awal stated that INFLIBNET had a vision to bridge libraries in different universities through a computer based networking system. The Bangladesh UGC is moved by the success of the programme being launched by INFLIBNET, Awal added and forwarded his wish to make contact chain network between Bangladesh and India. The chief guest, WA Shishak remarked that the present generation are fortunate to be born in the computer age. He was optimistic that the ongoing endeavor of bringing INFLIBNET to the north-eastern states will ensure the passage of the region among successful states in the field of communication. It will also benefit information seekers, scholars and academicians, he added. Prof N Bijoy showed conviction that the theme of the convention, content creation, access and management in networked environment holds potential to bring immense benefit to the librarians. He further stated that libraries have many added roles in the arena of disseminating information through the latest technologies. The traditional concept of a library, which brought to mind a place to access paper records and books had been redefined to one that houses the most advanced media facilities, including CD-ROM, internet, virtual library and remote access to a wide range of network. Consequently, librarians and information professionals have to increasingly dispense their traditional duties combined with tasks involving continuously evolving technologies, he added. Nowadays, librarians need to have complete information of a wide variety of sources, both scholarly and public information related. At the same time, they are required to keep pace with changing trends in publication, computers and media in order to oversee the selection and organisation of library materials. He later mentioned that due to the enhanced information gathering capacity of new communication systems, libraries have been entrusted a valuable role in providing information to scholars and readers alike. http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=headline&newsid=20385&typeid… -- JK Vijayakumar, INFLIBNET Centre, Ahmedabad __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page. www.yahoo.com

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NRI starts mobile library at village in Punjap
by Vyasamoorthy＠icicikp.com 05 Nov '04

05 Nov '04

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=105678 NRI starts mobile library at village Anupam Bhagria Ludhiana, November 3: It is a dream come true for NRI Dr Jaswant Singh who started Pahiyanwali Library Sewa at his native village Judahan. He has used his more than 15 years of experience of serving as librarian in the US for the mobile library. The library has more than 1,600 books on all subjects, one trained driver and a part-time library manager. Dr Jaswant Singh said, ''I along with my wife Jasjit Kaur who is also serving as librarian in the US made 90 per cent efforts while the 10 per cent contribution we got from other NRIs. The library has been set by the Anant Education and Rural Development Trust with an investment of Rs 22 lakh and its annual expenditure will be between Rs 5 lakh and 6 lakh, which will also be incurred by the Trust.'' To begin with, the library which was inaugurated today by Prof Prithpal Singh Kapoor, will go in three villages on every Thursday, said Dr Amarjit Singh, member of the Trust, who retired as the Head of Department of Journalism, Languages and Culture from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. He said, ''Today, the library visited villages Judahan, Rangoowal and Phallowal, where books were issued to readers and they were also given the time table of the mobile library, so that more people can know about the timings of the library, so that they may get the books issued and return them.'' Dr Jaswant Singh said, ''Next Thursday, we will go to the same villages and collect the issued books. This way every Thursday we will cover three new villages and slowly we will visit more villages on other days of the week.'' Dr Jaswant Singh, who was a lecturer at Malwa Training College, Ludhiana, went to Canada in the mid-sixties and from here he moved to the US in the '70s and worked as a librarian there for more than 15 years. He said, ''For five months, I stay in India and for seven months in the US. In my absence, the other members of the Trust, Dr Amarjit Singh, Ved Prakash, a retired teacher, Manmohan Singh Virdi, a PCO owner, and Manmohan Singh Gujjarwal, who will see legal aspects and other problems of the library, will take care of the library.'' Jaswant Singh who regrets that the Punjab Public Library Act is not being passed by the state government as it is still lying pending in the office of the Education Secretary. If this is passed, any village can open a library, they can do so with the help of the state government, locals and NRIs. Since 1993, I have been urging the officers of the Punjab government to pass this Act, but in vain.'' Dr.P.Vyasamoorthy, Advisor, Virtual Information Centre, ICICI Knowledge Park, Genome Valley, Turkapally, Shameerpet Mandal, RR District, Hyderabad 500078 INDIA Email: vyasamoorthy(a)icicikp.com Phone - Office: +91(40)23480053 Fax: +91(40)23480007 Phone Residence: +91(40)27846631

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full text
by vasanth raj 04 Nov '04

04 Nov '04

Dear MONAWWER EQBAL u can visit http://online.sagepub.com where u can find plenty of information on TQM and also visit some of the Directory like www.BUBL.com where in u can find lots of business information and plz visit the www.infolibrarian.com there u find some of the free journals relating to library and information science and Total quality management. Regards vasantha Raju N Dept. Library and information science University of mysore Mysore Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your life partneronline. Dear MONAWWER EQBAL u can visit http://online.sagepub.com http://online.sagepub.com where u can find plenty of information on TQM and also visit some of the Directory like http://www.BUBL.com www.BUBL.com where in u can find lots of business information and plz visit the http://www.infolibrarian.com www.infolibrarian.com there u find some of the free journals relating to library and information science and Total quality management. Regards vasantha Raju N Dept. Library and information science University of mysore Mysore http://in.rd.yahoo.com/specials/mailtg/*http://yahoo.shaadi.com/india-matri… Yahoo! India Matrimony : Find your life partner http://in.rd.yahoo.com/specials/mailtg2/*http://yahoo.shaadi.com/india-matr… online .

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APINESS vs APNICNET
by Seshu Sripada 04 Nov '04

04 Nov '04

Hi Could you please clarify me for APINESS- Asian Pacific Information Centre for Social sciences and APNIC.NET (http://www.apnic.net/info/about.html) both are same are different. If it is different please give the url link for APINESS. seshu -----------------------SOFTPRO DISCLAIMER------------------------------ Information contained in this E-MAIL and any attachments are confidential being proprietary to SOFTPRO SYSTEMS is 'privileged' and 'confidential'. If you are not an intended or authorised recipient of this E-MAIL or have received it in error, You are notified that any use, copying or dissemination of the information contained in this E-MAIL in any manner whatsoever is strictly prohibited. Please delete it immediately and notify the sender by E-MAIL. In such a case reading, reproducing, printing or further dissemination of this E-MAIL is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. SOFTPRO SYSYTEMS does not REPRESENT or WARRANT that an attachment hereto is free from computer viruses or other defects. The opinions expressed in this E-MAIL and any ATTACHEMENTS may be those of the author and are not necessarily those of SOFTPRO SYSTEMS. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hi Could you please clarify me for APINESS- Asian Pacific Information Centre for Social sciences and APNIC.NET ( http://www.apnic.net/info/about.html http://www.apnic.net/info/about.html ) both are same are different. If it is different please give the url link for APINESS. seshu -----------------------SOFTPRO DISCLAIMER------------------------------ Information contained in this E-MAIL and any attachments are confidential being proprietary to SOFTPRO SYSTEMS is 'privileged' and 'confidential'. If you are not an intended or authorised recipient of this E-MAIL or have received it in error, You are notified that any use, copying or dissemination of the information contained in this E-MAIL in any manner whatsoever is strictly prohibited. Please delete it immediately and notify the sender by E-MAIL. In such a case reading, reproducing, printing or further dissemination of this E-MAIL is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. SOFTPRO SYSYTEMS does not REPRESENT or WARRANT that an attachment hereto is free from computer viruses or other defects. The opinions expressed in this E-MAIL and any ATTACHEMENTS may be those of the author and are not necessarily those of SOFTPRO SYSTEMS. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Medical Journals seeking FDI
by Vyasamoorthy＠icicikp.com 04 Nov '04

04 Nov '04

Please see the following news item on many journals (among other periodicals) form India seeking Foreign Direct Investment. If this happens, even Indian journals would start asking for heavy copyright fees for supplying Journal articles. In this context pushing hard for starting Open Archives including legal measures supporting this facility is needed. Regards Vyasamoorthy, P =============== http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=73117 NEW DELHI: Around 60 publications, across news and specialty categories, are awaiting foreign investment, according to sources. While most of these are English newspapers/magazines, regional publications are also making a pitch for foreign investment, it is learnt. Many of these applications, mainly specialty/technical journals, are understood to be in the process of getting the government nod. Medical journals form a large chunk of publications seeking foreign investment, sources said. When contacted, a senior official in the information and broadcasting ministry, refused to share any information regarding the pending applications. "I cannot indicate numbers or names," he told FE. He, however, added that very often there was a delay in clearing applications, as companies did not furnish sufficient information. Under normal circumstances, clearances/comments from various ministries take about a month or so. Besides the administrative ministry - I&B - others consulted, through an inter-ministerial committee, include finance, commerce and industry, external affairs and home. Depending on the subject matter of the publication, comments from ministries such as health and sports could also be sought, it is learnt. In addition, companies are required to get clearance from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). Among the media groups which have already been granted clearance for foreign investment include Business Standard, Hindustan Times, Living Media and Bennett Coleman. Among others, Bennett Coleman's application to publish Wall Street Journal from India is still being examined. Earlier, Cybermedia's request to publish BusinessWeek from the country was not considered by the government. Sources indicated that till the International Herald Tribune (IHT) issue is resolved, the government may not like to deal with news publications. Hyderabad-based Midram Publications had started printing IHT from India a few months ago, stirring a controversy. As per current government norms, foreign news publications cannot be printed in India. Foreign investment was allowed in print media around two years ago. While up to 26% foreign direct investment is allowed in news, specialty and technical journals can go up to 74% foreign investment. ================== Dr.P.Vyasamoorthy, Advisor, Virtual Information Centre, ICICI Knowledge Park, Genome Valley, Turkapally, Shameerpet Mandal, RR District, Hyderabad 500078 INDIA Email: vyasamoorthy(a)icicikp.com Phone - Office: +91(40)23480053 Fax: +91(40)23480007 Phone Residence: +91(40)27846631

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TAPIR arrives for ETD Projects using DSpace
by JK Vijayakumar 03 Nov '04

03 Nov '04

Good news for users of DSpace for their ETD Projects. The Edinburgh University initiative "EUL-DSpace Add-On" may now be referred to as TAPIR - Theses Alive Plugin for Institutional Repositories has been developed at Edinburgh University Library to help provide an E-Thesis service within an institution using DSpace. It has been developed as part of the Theses Alive! Project under funding from the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), as part of the Focus on Access to Institutional Resources (FAIR) Programme. You can find more on The Tapir, including a download of the source code, at its home on SourceForge at http://sourceforge.net/projects/tapir-eul. Or visit the site http://www.thesesalive.ac.uk/dsp_home.shtml for more details. You can also read two articles on TAPIR at Aridane http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue41/jones/ and http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue38/jones/ ---- J. K. Vijayakumar INFLIBNET __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page. www.yahoo.com

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"Reed Elsevier: Science Friction" - A Citicorp Report
by Subbiah Arunachalam 03 Nov '04

03 Nov '04

Citicorp report on Elsevier and open access On October 8, Citigroup Smith Barney issued a 56 page report, _Reed Elsevier: Science Friction_, analyzing the STM journal industry and the market position of Reed Elsevier. The authors are Rogan Angelini-Hurll, Marc Sugarman, Roberto Odierna, and Tom Singlehurst, in consultation with Vighnesh Padiachy. The report is not online, so I can't link to it. But here is my summary of its main conclusions, or at least the main conclusions of interest to proponents of open access. * During 2004, Reed Elsevier profits will grow more slowly than the STM publishing sector overall. Moreover, constrained library budgets and increased government scrutiny exert pricing pressure on the whole STM sector. Consequently Citicorp is downgrading its rating of Elsevier stock from Hold/Medium Risk to Sell/Medium Risk and lowering its price target from 500p to 450p. * Growth in the Reed Elsevier science division will slow down in the short term and require new investment. However, the rise of OA institutional repositories will create new risks for that investment. * Most libraries have finished switching over to electronic delivery, so Elsevier's premium for ejournals will no longer bring in much revenue. At the same time, more and more libraries want out of the big deal. * Open access is rising in popularity and will not go away. OA archives and OA journals are increasing in number and usage, and governments are considering policies that would mandate OA to taxpayer-funded research. * The market will move towards upfront-funded OA journals. However, several factors will slow the transition, which will therefore be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. For the short or medium term, but not the long term, the transition to upfront funding for journals will cost more than the present system. Governments may be reluctant to reduce research funding in order to pay for OA. To support their journals, society publishers might have to give up revenue now used for other purposes. OA journals will not have the benefit of funding from corporate users that conventional journals currently enjoy. * The STM journal market is peculiar. Journals don't pay authors. Readers don't pay journals; because libraries pay on behalf of readers, readers know the quality but rarely the cost of what they read. Journals don't compete directly with one another and have a monopoly on the distribution of their own articles. Unlike other consumers, libraries spend up to the limit of their budgets. * Publishers explain their price increases by citing increased costs, increased volume, increased usage, and increased investment in infrastructure for electronic publishing. However, when examined closely (details in the report), these explanations are misleading and unpersuasive. Citicorp believes that price increases are mainly due to a desire to maintain high profit margins. * If the price per article is falling, it is due to greater volume, clever bookkeeping, and bundling, and does not result in lower costs for subscribers. * Library budgets are maxed out. If publishers continue to raise prices, libraries will have to purchase smaller and smaller percentages of the published literature. * Universities are starting to understand that rising journal prices and journal use of copyright are reducing access to research. At the same time universities are starting to see the benefits of open access as an alternative to the current system. (At this point, the report offers a table based on my list of University Actions Against High Journal Prices, <http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/lists.htm#actions>.) However, while universities protest high prices, and some endorse open access, most renew their Elsevier subscriptions. * OA advocates are correct to argue that OA removes access barriers, increases the visibility and impact of authors and their work, increases a funding agency's return on investment, relieves library budgets, brings access to non-academics, and provides a business model that scales with research funding rather than with library funding. * On the downside, the "author-pays" model may not be economically sustainable, may not transfer from biomedicine to other fields, may "penalize" high-output research institutions and countries (though this "penalty" may be "more than recouped" through OA efficiencies), and may not generate revenue needed for post-publication expenses such as long-term preservation and upgrading technology. * Government intervention is justified by the use of public money to fund research, to fund researcher salaries, and to fund the purchase of journal subscriptions. * Today the level of knowledge about open access among scientists is low, but this will change. Universities are starting to educate their faculty about OA and to recommend it (in part) as a solution to library budget problems. Large and conspicuous government-sponsored OA initiatives are imminent in the U.S. and U.K. Successful OA journals are rising in usage and repute. ___________________________________________________________ Win a castle for NYE with your mates and Yahoo! Messenger http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

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