"Electronic publishing has been heralded as a worldwide solution to information dissemination. This article considers the problems experienced by traditional journals published in the developing world, with particular reference to those published in sub-Saharan Africa. The opportunities offered by e
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lectronic online publishing are discussed to determine how they can resolve the current problems in dissemination and improve quality. Two case studies of different initiatives are presented: an online-only journal, the African Journal of Biotechnology (AJB), and an online journal table of contents and abstracting service, African Journals Online AJOL. The authors conclude that although online publishing is not a quick fix solution for all the problems experienced by journals in developing countries, it offers great potential for increasing the visibility and quality of indigenous knowledge, and thus offers journals the opportunity to take a place in the global publishing community.“It is imperative that African journals and authors embrace this model for research communication to ensure their continued existence and recognition of the importance of indigenous research." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 1855)
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"Describes the activities of Book Aid International (BAI), the UK book charity, with particular emphasis on their supplying books to meet the specific requirements of recipient libraries in developing countries. Gives a number of specific examples of aid projects providing books to meet different ne
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eds within developing countries, and discusses the importance of book aid to those countries." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 1374)
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"Since the start of the “third wave” of democratization, in 1974, the proportion of states that are electoral democracies has more than doubled, and the number of democratic governments in the world has tripled (Diamond 2001). Countries as diverse as the Czech Republic, Mexico, and South Africa
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have experienced a radical transformation of their political systems through the establishment of more effective party competition, free and fair elections, and a more independent and pluralistic press. Many hoped that these developments would expand the voice of the disadvantaged and the accountability of governments, so that policy makers would become more responsive to human needs, and governments could be removed from power through the ballot box if citizens became dissatisfied by their performance. Yet in practice, after the initial surge in the early 1990s, many electoral democracies in Latin America, Central Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa remain fragile and only poorly consolidated, often divided by ethnic conflict and plagued by a faltering economic performance, with excessive executive power in the hands of one predominant party and a fragmented opposition (Linz and Stephan 1996). The central danger, illustrated by the nations of the Andean region, lies in disillusionment with democracy, and even occasional reversals (Norris 1999; Pharr and Putnam 2000; Lagos 2001; Plattner and Diamond 2001)." (Summary)
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"INASP-Health is a UK-based programme that promotes international networking amongst all those involved in the provision and use of health information including librarians, publishers, biomedical researchers, funding agencies, development professionals, frontline healthcare providers, public health
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specialists, social scientists and others, in order to improve access to relevant and reliable information for health professionals in developing and transitional countries. It was launched in 1996 as a programme of the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP). It has one full-time staff member, with some support for administration and finance from INASP. Since its inception, its activities have grown to include an Advisory and Liaison Service, bi-monthly Health Information Forum (HIF) meetings, the HIF-net at WHO email discussion list, the INASP Health Links Internet gateway, the Health Library Partnerships Database, and the INASP-Health Directory. INASP-Health's success has been to develop a set of real resources with expectations around their potential for further development. In the period reviewed for this evaluation, the work of INASP-Health has contributed to the improvement of access to reliable, relevant information for health professionals in developing countries. But demands on its services are growing and INASP-Health has now reached a stage where some fundamental decisions need to be made on its future development." (Executive summary)
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"While not specifically focusing on Africa, this directory from the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) is a useful resource as it provides detailed information on almost 400 agencies, organizations, institutions, learned societies, professional associations
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, donors, and foundations involved in activities that support the production, access and/or dissemination of information and knowledge in or between developing countries. It covers both subject-specific organizations in particular areas of the sciences, the humanities and social sciences, as well as organizations that specialize in library and book development, and for both groups this includes details of book and journal assistance schemes operated, or other type of support provided. Information is very full, and for most entries includes name and address, telephone/fax numbers, email address and Web site, contact personnel, aims and objectives and/or a mission statement, target audience, countries of operation, current activities, publications (if applicable), and future plans. No further print editions have been published following the 2002/2003 edition, but entries are now continuously updated in the online version. The electronic version can be browsed by the sector each organization works in, and each database entry offers organizational and contact details, profile details, and information about activities. Organizations can also be viewed by country, or searches can be conducted covering the entire database." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 1392)
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"A useful review of the literature pertaining to library aid and globalization, including book donation/distribution programmes, and support for local publishers. The study focuses on two questions: what are the major needs of libraries in the developing countries? And whether some of those needs ar
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e, or are not, being met. Despite anecdotal evidence gathered by the authors during visits to developing countries, that globalization has affected the type of library aid now needed, no research could be found to substantiate this. It is the contention of the authors, however, that lessons learned from the existing research about more traditional “book aid” remain very relevant to library aid relationships affected by globalization, and that these lessons should be used as the basis for further research that incorporates this new phenomenon of internationalization. “Clearly, in order to develop effective programs that make a difference within the new global economy and information world, further research on the challenges and opportunities of library aid is needed." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 1380)
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"This survey is one of a series prepared for the UNESCO Education for All (EFA) Assessment, under the auspices of the UNESCO Division of Basic Education and the United Kingdom Department of International Development for the International Consultative Forum on Education for All. The EFA objectives ar
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e concerned with broad policy goals and targets in the provision of school books and other learning materials, including distribution mechanisms. While this survey also covers the situation in South and Central Asia, the Pacific Islands, the Anglophone Caribbean, and some parts of Central and Eastern Europe, special attention is paid to Africa, “where the book shortage has attracted more external support and generated more documentation over the past decade than any other region.” Part of the synthesis is based on a range of classroom studies commissioned by the UNESCO/ Danida Basic Learning Materials Initiative (119), covering Egypt, Guinea, India, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Samoa, Senegal, and Tanzania. The survey first examines the basic issues and constraints relating to textbook availability and provision, and the role of funding agencies and donors. Thereafter it looks at global trends – in terms of decentralization, liberalization, funding, quality and use, etc. – followed by a survey of regional developments in the areas covered." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 231)
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"Produced in landscape format and attractively designed, this is a valuable practical marketing manual that aims to assist small publishers to make sense of the publishing world, particularly NGOs with publishing activities, but where publishing is not the core function. The manual will guide them t
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hrough the principles and processes of effective marketing, and linking the capabilities of a publishing company to the needs of the customer. The author was formerly Marketing and Managing Director of David Philip Publishers in Cape Town, and is well known for a series of successful marketing workshops she has conducted during each year’s Zimbabwe International Book Fair. Those that are struggling with their marketing will find a wealth of practical, hard-nosed advice in this guide, which covers these topics: (1) Defining your Market, (2) What is Marketing? (3) The Marketing Plan, (4) Sales and Selling, (5) Distribution, Co-operative Publishing and Rights, (6) Publishing, Marketing and Finance, (7) Development Agencies, Donors and Commercial Publishers, and (8) Strategic Planning. Interspersed with the text are a number of practical exercises, and there are also reproductions of flyers and other publicity material as illustrative examples of good practice." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 2458)
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"De l'Idée au texte est une coédition produite par les Editions Alpha à Niamey et la Deutsche Stiftung für Internationale Entwicklung/DSE (qui fait maintenant partie de la GIZ). Elle est la première d'une série prévue dans le cadre d'un programme de formation du personnel des maisons d'éditi
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on publiant en langues africaines. Ce programme est soutenu par la DSE, l'organisation non gouvernementale Associés pour la recherche et l'éducation au développement (ARED) basée au Sénégal, et le Réseau des éditeurs africains. Cet ouvrage utile et très pratique a pour but d'encourager les gens à écrire et à devenir des auteurs publiés. Il traite du processus d'écriture - et de l'identification du motif d'écriture, de ce que le lecteur attend d'un livre et du rôle de l'éditeur dans la production du produit fini - et de la création d'un texte, de l'idée à la publication." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 2451)
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