African Librarians invited to participate in 2021 Open Access Survey

SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

African Librarians are getting ready to celebrate the 2021 Open Access Week from 25th – 30th October with the theme “It Matters How We Open Knowledge: Building Structural Equity”. As librarians who provide access to information in Africa, this is the time for us to reflect deeply on issues that affect the ‘free transfer of knowledge’ for the greater good.

• Are there discoveries in different disciplines that can move Africa forward, are there better, efficient, sustainable ways and processes of doing things in different sectors but the knowledge is locked away and not accessible to the end users in the continent?
• Do you know that goes against the underlying principle of the UN Sustainable Development Goals; ‘leaving no one behind’?

That is the reason behind this push by African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA) to identify the structures that drive inequitable access to knowledge and explore possible pathways of mitigation. A potpourri of activities have been slated to take place within the 2021 Open Access Week, but first things first as we run a survey to move from the known to the unknown.

1. What is the level of awareness of Open Access among librarians in academic institutions and library and information sciences schools/departments?
2. Do African academic and research institutions have Open Access policies?
3. Are librarians aware of these policies?
4. Are the policies comprehensive enough to address structural equity in knowledge creation, dissemination and access?

The AfLIA Open Access survey aims to get answers to the above questions and more so that opening up access to research and knowledge that will drive development in Africa can take place. More than ever, knowledge should be created and accessible in forms and formats that can benefit Africans so that innovative solutions can be spawned for the challenges that confront the continent.

Kindly click on the button below and fill the survey. The results will be shared during the Open Access Week so do not delay on filling it please. Also, bring it to the attention of your colleagues.