5 - Digital Publishing and Open Access for Social Science Research Dissemination: A Case Study
Corresponding Author(s) : Karen Bruns
Africa Media Review,
Vol. 15 No. 1-2 (2007): Africa Media Review, Volume 15, n° 1 & 2, 2007
Abstract
This case study charts the planning and implementation of a digital publishing programme over a three-year period at the Human Sciences Research Council, a large South African social science research body. This paper places the case study in the context of research dissemination in South Africa and Africa and reviews new publishing approaches, including electronic publishing and Open Access. It then charts the three phases of the consultancy — investigation, recommen-dations and implementation — and, at each stage, examines successes and failures; the problems encountered; and how they were addressed. It deals with the following challenges faced by African scholarly organisations wanting to use digital media to disseminate their research findings:
i. Finding the right strategy, copyright model and business plan for the digital publishing programme;
ii. Selling this strategy to the research community and overcoming academic conservatism, entrenched as it often is in traditional ways of publishing;
iii. Finding the right mix of technologies (in this case, online content dissemination linked to print-on-demand);
iv. Managing the technical and organisational process of getting a digital publishing programme up and running; and
v. Ensuring effective promotional and distribution strategies – a matter of overwhelming importance in ensuring the success of a digital publishing programme. The findings of this study will stress the importance of the strategic choices
made. In particular, the organisation found that it could use digital media to build the reputation of the organisation. The Open Access copyright model adopted by the organisation allows for the accessibility of primary source information, while
at the same time couching and developing the reputation of the organisation. The case study will examine how applicable its findings are to other countries in Africa. In particular, it will explore the limitations of digital dissemination in a South African context and identify the ways in which a multi-pronged approach, using digital, print, e-mail and fax, can most effectively reach a wider market. The conclusion is that this multi-pronged approach can be an effective way of ensuring
the international reach of Africa scholarship.
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- Oyinloye, A. M., 1998, ‘The Great Journals Crisis: An Africa Cri de coeur’, Lon- don, Logos, Vol. 9, No.1, pp. 34-36.
- Rebuck, G., 2004, ‘Guardian World Book Day Forum Speech’, 3 March, reported in The Guardian, Saturday 13 March.
- Sparc, 2004, ‘Open Access Newsletter’, 2 February, (www.earlham.edu/-peters/fos/newsletter/02-02-04.htm).
- Subotzky, G. and Cele, G., 2004, ‘New Modes of Knowledge Production: Peril or Promise for Developing Countries’, in P. T. Zeleza, and A. Olukoshi, eds., African Unviersities in the 21st Century, Dakar: CODESRIA, pp. 341-362.
- Teferra, D., 1998, ‘The Significance of Information Technology for African Schol- arly Journals’, in P. G. Altbach and D. Teferra, eds., Knowledge Dissemination in Africa: The Role of the Scholarly
- Journal, Chestnut Hill, Mass: Bellagio Studies in Publishing, 8, pp. 39-62.
- UK House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, 2004, ‘Scientific Publications: Free for
- All?’, Tenth Report of Session 2003-4, (http:// www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmselect/cmsctech/399/399.pdf ) Accessed July 2004.
- Wafawarowa, B., 2000, ‘Legal Exceptions to Copyright and the Development of Safrican and Developing Countires’ Information Sector’, Paper delivered (as an APNET representative) at the UNESCO Infoethics Conference, Paris.
- Zell, H., 1998, African Journal Publishers in a Digital Envrionment, in Altbach, P. and Teferra, D., Knowledge Dissemination in Africa: The Role of Scholarly Journals. Bellagio Studies in Publishing, 8.
- Zell, H., 2003, ‘Digital Media and African Publishing: The Book and the Computer: Online Symposium, Book Culture at the Crossroads, (http://www.honco.net/ os/index_0310.html), Accessed November 2004.
- Zeleza, P., 1997a, Manufacturing African Studies and Crisis, Dakar: CODESRIA. Zeleza, P., 1997b, ‘Research Co-0peration within Africa’, in Academic Book Pro- duction and Distribution in Africa: Support from Nordic Countries, Report from a Conference at Christian Michelsen Institute, Bergen, 10-11 April, pp.90-104.
- Zeleza, P. T., 1998, ‘The Challenges of Editing Scholarly Journals in Africa’, in P. Altbach and D.
- Teferra, Knowledge Dissemination in Africa: The Role of the Scholarly Journal, Chestnut Hill: Bellagio Studies in Publishing, 8.
References
Oyinloye, A. M., 1998, ‘The Great Journals Crisis: An Africa Cri de coeur’, Lon- don, Logos, Vol. 9, No.1, pp. 34-36.
Rebuck, G., 2004, ‘Guardian World Book Day Forum Speech’, 3 March, reported in The Guardian, Saturday 13 March.
Sparc, 2004, ‘Open Access Newsletter’, 2 February, (www.earlham.edu/-peters/fos/newsletter/02-02-04.htm).
Subotzky, G. and Cele, G., 2004, ‘New Modes of Knowledge Production: Peril or Promise for Developing Countries’, in P. T. Zeleza, and A. Olukoshi, eds., African Unviersities in the 21st Century, Dakar: CODESRIA, pp. 341-362.
Teferra, D., 1998, ‘The Significance of Information Technology for African Schol- arly Journals’, in P. G. Altbach and D. Teferra, eds., Knowledge Dissemination in Africa: The Role of the Scholarly
Journal, Chestnut Hill, Mass: Bellagio Studies in Publishing, 8, pp. 39-62.
UK House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, 2004, ‘Scientific Publications: Free for
All?’, Tenth Report of Session 2003-4, (http:// www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmselect/cmsctech/399/399.pdf ) Accessed July 2004.
Wafawarowa, B., 2000, ‘Legal Exceptions to Copyright and the Development of Safrican and Developing Countires’ Information Sector’, Paper delivered (as an APNET representative) at the UNESCO Infoethics Conference, Paris.
Zell, H., 1998, African Journal Publishers in a Digital Envrionment, in Altbach, P. and Teferra, D., Knowledge Dissemination in Africa: The Role of Scholarly Journals. Bellagio Studies in Publishing, 8.
Zell, H., 2003, ‘Digital Media and African Publishing: The Book and the Computer: Online Symposium, Book Culture at the Crossroads, (http://www.honco.net/ os/index_0310.html), Accessed November 2004.
Zeleza, P., 1997a, Manufacturing African Studies and Crisis, Dakar: CODESRIA. Zeleza, P., 1997b, ‘Research Co-0peration within Africa’, in Academic Book Pro- duction and Distribution in Africa: Support from Nordic Countries, Report from a Conference at Christian Michelsen Institute, Bergen, 10-11 April, pp.90-104.
Zeleza, P. T., 1998, ‘The Challenges of Editing Scholarly Journals in Africa’, in P. Altbach and D.
Teferra, Knowledge Dissemination in Africa: The Role of the Scholarly Journal, Chestnut Hill: Bellagio Studies in Publishing, 8.