Open Access Implications for Sustainable Social, Political, and Economic Development

Open access publishing can be used as a strategic tool to avail access to information and achieve universal literacy. Open access has gained importance over the past 15 years by making knowledge available to all, without any barrier of affordability or restrictions on using this knowledge to inform and develop. Open access contributes to scientific research excellence, disseminates research results to a wider community, and promotes multi-disciplinary and collaborative research. Issues of sustainable development and open access are major concerns in librarianship and information management, particularly as the international library and information management community is focusing on how to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. Open Access Implications for Sustainable Social, Political, and Economic Development is a pivotal reference source that provides an understanding of the concept of open access within the context of social, political, and economic development and deliberates the critical issues and challenges that face the implementation of open access and its impact on the global economy and sustainable development. While highlighting a broad range of topics including digital scholarship, open data, and ethics, this book is ideally designed for librarians, information science professionals, government officials, policymakers, academicians, researchers, and students.

About the Author :
Priti Jain is a Professor of Information and Knowledge Management in the Department of Library and Information Studies at the University of Botswana. She holds BA (Hons) and LLB degrees from Meerut University, India, a Master’s in Library and Information Studies from the University of Botswana, and a DLit et Phil (Doctor of Literature and Philosophy) from Unisa, South Africa. In her 17 years’ working experience in Library and information world, Priti has written extensively in referred journals and has presented sever al papers in international conferences. She serves on five editorial boards in international journals. She is engaged in various community initiatives. She teaches and researches in knowledge management and information Science courses. Her current areas of research interest are: Knowledge management, Open access, Institutional Repositories, and Digital Scholarship Nathan Mnjama is a Professor in the Department of Library and Information Studies, University of Botswana with specialization in Archives and Records Management. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History from University of Nairobi, a Postgraduate Diploma in Archives and Records Management from University of Ghana, a Post Graduate Diploma in History from Girton College, Cambridge and a PhD in Archival Studies from University College, London. Prof Mnjama has worked as an archivist and records manager at the Kenya National Archives and was responsible for the location and copying of Kenyan archives from the UK between 1980 and 1985. He has considerable experience in teaching and delivery of archives and records management programmes having lectured at the School of Information Sciences, Moi University Kenya prior to joining the Department of Library and Information Studies University of Botswana where he has been instrumental in the design of archives and records management programmes since 1996. Prof Mnjama is a well-known speaker and presenter in archives and records management forums in East and Southern Africa. He has published extensively in the field of archives and records management in Africa. Mnjama has participated in several records management initiatives organized by the International Records Management Trust aimed at improving archives and records keeping practices in Africa. O. Oladokun is an Associate Professor in the Department of Library and Information Studies, University of Botswana teaching information organization courses in cataloguing, classification, indexing and abstracting, among others. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Education) degree of the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), a Master of Library Studies, University of Ibadan, Master of Information Science (MIS), University of Pretoria, and PhD, University of Botswana. He has previously worked as a Senior Librarian, Principal Librarian, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso. He was also a Senior Librarian and Manager, Learning Commons, University of Botswana before joining the Department of Library and Information Studies, University of Botswana.