Not served on a silver platter! Access to online mathematics information in Africa

Wandahl, Anders Not served on a silver platter! Access to online mathematics information in Africa., 2009 . In First Buea International Conference on the Mathematical Sciences, Buea (Cameroon), May 12-16, 2009. (Unpublished) [Conference paper]

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English abstract

This paper argues that, contrary to the beliefs of many, the amount of mathematics information available for African researchers, including electronic scientific journals and databases, is indeed substantial. However, whereas information resources are served on a silver platter at the "northern" universities, researchers at universities in developing countries have to work hard for their treats. The scientific information available for low-income countries is scattered among a large number of providers, websites, access methods, price models, and country- or institution-specific programmes. It is therefore quite hard for individual researchers to see the whole picture and establish what actually is available and what is not. This paper presents a number of key information sources for mathematics. Some are aimed primarily at disciplines other than mathematics but nevertheless contain extremely important and high-ranking mathematics journals. Brief instructions are also given on how to register for and maintain access to various relevant and useful resources.

Item type:	Conference paper
Keywords:	Mathematics, Access to information, Africa, e-resources, e-journals
Subjects:	B. Information use and sociology of information > BG. Information dissemination and diffusion. B. Information use and sociology of information > BA. Use and impact of information. H. Information sources, supports, channels. > HP. e-resources.
Depositing user:	Anders Wandahl
Date deposited:	21 Jun 2009
Last modified:	02 Oct 2014 12:14
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/10760/13072

References

ANSTI (2005). State of Science and Technology Training Institutions in Africa [Online], p. 39 Available at http://www.ansti.org/reports/state%20of%20science%20training%20in%20africa.pdf [Accessed Mar 28th, 2009].

Ewing, J. (2002). Twenty Centuries of Mathematics: Digitizing and Disseminating the Past Mathematical Literature. Notices of the AMS, 49(7), pp.771-777.

Guthrie, K. (2000). Revitalizing older published literature: preliminary lessons from the use of JSTOR. [Online] Available at http://www.si.umich.edu/PEAK-2000/guthrie.pdf [Accessed Mar 28th, 2009].

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