Digital science libraries: practical approaches to supporting science in developing countries.

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING RESEARCH drives many aspects of modern economic development. A key step towards creating a productive research infrastructure is providing scientists and engineers with access to state of the art knowledge, as well as with mechanisms for developing international collaborative programmes. Professional journals in electronic format serve as the repository of current scientific and engineering knowledge. Creating digital science libraries, which are access portals using modern Internet technologies, are a better, more cost-effective solution than attempting to purchase and maintain collections of thousands of paper journals.

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Less than a decade ago, most science library collections consisted of card catalogues and stacks of paper journals and books. A dramatic change began to take place in the late 1990s as publishing companies started to offer journal collections in digital format. Today, most scientists in the developed world access research journals via university-sponsored digital libraries. Computer screens have replaced paper copies and powerful search technologies have supplanted card catalogues. The switch to digital format has profoundly affected how information is accessed. Thousands of articles, both new and old, can be searched by topic with a click of a button. Related articles, databases, bibliographies and e-mail addresses are all linked and searchable.

The digital revolution has improved both the quality of scholarship and the number of individuals with access to research materials. Developing countries can readily incorporate this technology; in doing so, they have a significant impact on higher education and research on a national scale. The funds needed to create and maintain a Web portal are a small fraction of the money required to build and maintain bricks-and-mortar libraries. This minimal infrastructure means that a vast majority of a library budget can now be spent purchasing journal subscriptions. While the standard subscription fees can be substantial, scientific publishing companies and professional societies are often willing to offer substantial discounts to developing countries.

The Iraqi Virtual Science Library (IVSL) is a case study in Iraq for bridging the digital divide and supporting science education and research at universities in developing countries. The project was initiated in 2005, when a group of Science and Technology Policy fellows from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) began working with the United States Department of Defense and Department of State, Sun Microsystems Inc, the United States National Academies of Sciences (NAS) and the Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF). This American group, in cooperation with the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education, created IVSL (https://ivsl.org). The Library serves seven leading Iraqi universities, the Ministry of Higher Education, the Ministry of Science and Technology and several research institutes.

Through the generous discounts of major publishing houses, IVSL was fortunate to negotiate an exceptional collection of journals on a broad range of areas, including biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering and mathematics. It currently provides students, faculty members and research scientists with access to the full text of over 17,000 journal titles, online courses, databases and specialized resources. Funding for the project has been provided by the United States Departments of Defense and State and CRDF. The total budget to date is less than $400,000. The major expense has been the acquisition of licenses from publishers and professional societies, with about 10 per cent of the budget devoted to the design, creation and maintenance of the Web portal, and 20 per cent for user training and miscellaneous fees.

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IVSL is an online university library, which acts as a gatekeeper and a director for information. It electronically manages user access and passes the appropriate credentials so that users can download journal content. Registration is not required to enter IVSL, but it is required for access to all subscription materials. Other public resources, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's open courseware, are also available and freely accessible to all groups.

How does the Library work? Researchers at the supported institutions apply to IVSL by submitting an online application, which is sent to the registrar, who verifies the applicant as a valid member of the institution and approves or rejects the applicant. Approved users are given a password and can then access IVSL from any Internet-connected computer, even in an Internet cafe. The Library protects the privacy of users and does not collect or track information on individual usage patterns or research topics. IVSL went online on 1 January 2006 and became an overnight success. Each month, the numbers of registered users and downloaded articles increase. For example, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. reported that IVSL users downloaded more than 8,000 articles in May.

At present, the Web portal is hosted in the United States. CRDF and Sun Microsystems Inc. are working with the Iraqi Government to transition the library to Iraq. Plans for local hosting include delivering donated hardware, developing open-source software and information technology training. Ultimately, IVSL will be managed and funded entirely by the Iraqis. One of its goals during the current transition phase is to create a virtual science library software development community. This group will support future implementation in Iraq and other developing countries.

The success of IVSL is a direct off-shoot of strong public-private partnerships. NAS identified appropriate journals and negotiated license agreements with publishers, who provided major collections at dramatically reduced pricing. Sun Microsystems Inc. provided technical guidance on development and website organization, training on system administration and computer programming, and servers for each of the supported universities. Useful Utilities contributed essential software and Skype donated headsets and communications software.

IVSL is an example of the growing trend to create digital science libraries for universities throughout the developing world. The United Nations is currently sponsoring two specialized electronic libraries: the World Health Organization's Health Internet Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) and the Food and Agriculture Organization's Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture (AGORA). Subscriptions to their digital journals are available on a sliding scale, with free access provided to countries with a per capita gross national product below $1,000. Other countries like Pakistan are negotiating directly with publishers and building nationally-supported science libraries.

Knowledge truly is power. Electronic science libraries are cost-effective programmes that can have immediate impact on science and engineering research in developing countries. Libraries are essential not just for scholarships but also for promoting better infrastructure, health care, agriculture and economic prosperity. As the IVSL project moves forward, the team will work to develop a global digital library community that promotes best practices and pragmatic approaches well matched to the needs of many cultures and economies. It is hoped that the success of IVSL and United Nations-funded projects, such as HINARI and AGORA, will encourage all countries to participate and take full advantage of new technologies to bridge the digital divide.

DJ Patil (far left) is a principal architect at eBay Inc. He was a 2004/2005 AAAS Science and Technology Policy fellow at the United States Department of Defense and previously a faculty member at the Institute for Physical Science and Technology at the University of Maryland.

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James Simon is the chief technologist and a principal engineer for Sun Microsystems' global education, government and health-care markets. He has extensive experience as an architect, as well as in the engineering and consulting fields.

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Susan Cumberledge is an Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a 2004/2005 AAAS Science and Technology Policy fellow.

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