----- Original Message ----- From: EPT To: scitechcom@parliament.uk Cc: enquiry@dfid.gov.uk ; chan@utsc.utoronto.ca ; Subbiah Arunachalam ; Stevan Harnad Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 11:55 PM Subject: Science in UK Department for Internatl. Devt. MESSAGE TO DR. IAN GIBSON, Chair S&T Ctee cc Hilary Benn, DFiD From members of the Electronic Publishing Trust for Development (EPT) http://www.epublishingtrust.org and Stevan Harnad November 23rd 2004 Dear Dr Gibson, Access to research publications by developing country scientists We have read the comments from your Committee on the Department for International Development report (The use of science in UK International Development Policy, 13th Report of Session 2003-2004) and refer particularly to paragraphs 76 and 133. In these, your comments emphasise the importance of access to research information, the need for digitisation of publications and open access publishing. However, we are very disappointed to see that no reference to Open Access Archiving was made. As you will be aware from our written submission to your 10th Report, Scientific 'Publications: Free for all?', the Electronic Publishing Trust for Development strongly advocates policies to establish institutional archives. This very low cost opportunity has many benefits for science not possible with OA Publishing (OA Archiving will spread knowledge across departments, institutes and countries; OA Archiving can take place almost immediately, whereas the progress of OA Publishing is inevitably far slower; OA Archiving is endorsed by over 90% of publishers, whereas most remain opposed to OA Publishing; OA Archiving can be mandated, whereas OA Publishing cannot). Moreover, OA Archiving can straight away increase the visibility of locally generated research, so important for the development of a strong science base in the less advantaged regions and for the creation of a global digital library that includes the 'missing research'. We know that your Committee fully understands the benefits to be derived from OA Archiving, but we would ask that the Committee ensures that DFiD is made fully aware of these and their huge potential impact on science in information-starved regions. We have in the past tried to inform DFiD about the advantages of institutional archives, but have met with little success. The Department is currently supporting the distribution of subsidised printed journals to some developing countries (but these programmes exclude those where any journals are currently sold by the commercial publishers, eg India) and, while this has short-term benefits, it is clearly not the long-term solution to information poverty. We would hope that DFiD's future programmes would support the sustainable option of training in the establishment of OA archives. The signatories to this letter, and many others, now have substantial experience in running OA workshops that, in our view, will make a tremendous impact on the international inclusion of the science communities in poorer countries. We are heartened that the University of Namibia has very recently established an OA policy and its own OA Archive; some 20 other OA Archives in developing country institutes are also registered in the OA Archives registry. The process has begun and is shown to be feasible; the support of DFiD would substantially speed the process to the benefit of health, agriculture and other essential scientific work in these regions. We hope that your Committee can encourage DFiD in this work, and are available to provide further information/experience at any time. With kind regards, Professor Subbiah Arunachalam, MSSRF Chennia, India, EPT Trustee Professor Leslie Chan, University of Toronto, Canada, EPT Trustee Professor Stevan Harnad, University of Southampton, UK Barbara Kirsop, Secretary, Electronic Publishing Trust for Development, UK ----- Original Message ----- From: mailto:EPT@biostrat.demon.co.uk EPT To: mailto:scitechcom@parliament.uk scitechcom@parliament.uk Cc: mailto:enquiry@dfid.gov.uk enquiry@dfid.gov.uk ; mailto:chan@utsc.utoronto.ca chan@utsc.utoronto.ca ; mailto:arun@mssrf.res.in Subbiah Arunachalam ; mailto:harnad@ecs.soton.ac.uk Stevan Harnad Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 11:55 PM Subject: Science in UK Department for Internatl. Devt. MESSAGE TO DR. IAN GIBSON, Chair S&T Ctee cc Hilary Benn, DFiD From members of the Electronic Publishing Trust for Development (EPT) http://www.epublishingtrust.org http://www.epublishingtrust.org and Stevan Harnad November 23rd 2004 Dear Dr Gibson, Access to research publications by developing country scientists We have read the comments from your Committee on the Department for International Development report (The use of science in UK International Development Policy, 13 th Report of Session 2003-2004) and refer particularly to paragraphs 76 and 133. In these, your comments emphasise the importance of access to research information, the need for digitisation of publications and open access publishing. However, we are very disappointed to see that no reference to Open Access Archiving was made. As you will be aware from our written submission to your 10 th Report, Scientific Publications: Free for all?, the Electronic Publishing Trust for Development strongly advocates policies to establish institutional archives. This very low cost opportunity has many benefits for science not possible with OA Publishing (OA Archiving will spread knowledge across departments, institutes and countries; OA Archiving can take place almost immediately, whereas the progress of OA Publishing is inevitably far slower; OA Archiving is endorsed by over 90% of publishers, whereas most remain opposed to OA Publishing; OA Archiving can be mandated, whereas OA Publishing cannot). Moreover, OA Archiving can straight away increase the visibility of locally generated research, so important for the development of a strong science base in the less advantaged regions and for the creation of a global digital library that includes the 'missing research'. We know that your Committee fully understands the benefits to be derived from OA Archiving, but we would ask that the Committee ensures that DFiD is made fully aware of these and their huge potential impact on science in information-starved regions. We have in the past tried to inform DFiD about the advantages of institutional archives, but have met with little success. The Department is currently supporting the distribution of subsidised printed journals to some developing countries (but these programmes exclude those where any journals are currently sold by the commercial publishers, eg India) and, while this has short-term benefits, it is clearly not the long-term solution to information poverty. We would hope that DFiDs future programmes would support the sustainable option of training in the establishment of OA archives. The signatories to this letter, and many others, now have substantial experience in running OA workshops that, in our view, will make a tremendous impact on the international inclusion of the science communities in poorer countries. We are heartened that the University of Namibia has very recently established an OA policy and its own OA Archive; some 20 other OA Archives in developing country institutes are also registered in the OA Archives registry. The process has begun and is shown to be feasible; the support of DFiD would substantially speed the process to the benefit of health, agriculture and other essential scientific work in these regions. We hope that your Committee can encourage DFiD in this work, and are available to provide further information/experience at any time. With kind regards, Professor Subbiah Arunachalam, MSSRF Chennia, India, EPT Trustee Professor Leslie Chan, University of Toronto, Canada, EPT Trustee Professor Stevan Harnad, University of Southampton, UK Barbara Kirsop, Secretary, Electronic Publishing Trust for Development, UK