International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications

IINASP Access to current scientific and technical literature is essential to research and teaching. In many countries, universities and research institutes cannot fulfill their mandate because lack of foreign currency and other problems make it impossible to purchase essential text books, journals and reference materials. Organizations such as the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) have for some time donated copies of their publications to developing country institutions. But a more comprehensive approach was needed to overcome the dearth of scientific literature in so many regions of the world. In 1988 ICSU, together with the Third World Academy of Sciences/lnternational Centre for Theoretical Physics, sponsored a workshop to explore ways to enhance the flow of scientific information to developing countries. The workshop participants recommended the establishment of a network to coordinate existing donation efforts and develop new initiatives. In early 1990 the Publishing Service of ICSU took up the challenge of developing the proposed network, and the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) was launched in 1991. INASP, which is a cooperative network of donors and representatives of recipient institutions, has three immediate objectives: to support and strengthen existing programmes involved in the distribution, publication, exchange and donation of books, journals and related materials (maps and charts, audio-visual materials, software and CD-ROM); to encourage new initiatives that will increase the availability of quality scientific literature; and to identify methods that will permit the ongoing and sustainable exchange and distribution of scientific publications. The Network is creating several computerized databases. Initially, two referral databases are involved. The first already provides current information on existing sources of low-cost exchange or donated scientific material and is being expanded to include support to indigenous publishing. The second will provide an inventory of 'recipient 'institutions. Retrieval of data is manipulated in order to identify areas of duplication and omission. The results of these analyses will be circulated to encourage discussions among existing donation programmes on ways to further rationalize and coordinate efforts. INASP offers a clearing house and advisory service and assists in the matching of donors to appropriate recipients and vice versa. It will promote and support the establishment ofnew programmes to distribute current journals on a continuing basis. A newsletter will be circulated to link users and others who may be interested, to provide updated information from the databases and discuss the problems involved and possible solutions for making scientific lit erasure available to developing countries. INASP PO Box 2564 London W5 1ZD UKIINASPAccess to current scientific and technical literature is essential to research and teaching. In many countries, universities and research institutes cannot fulfill their mandate because lack of foreign currency and other problems make it..