Library Publishing in the Global South: Research in Progress

Authors

Monica Berger, CUNY New York City College of TechnologyFollow

Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

8-19-2023

Abstract

This talk will share insights from the preliminary phase of a research project identifying and analyzing Global South library publishers. Little is known about library publishing in the Global South which is varied in scale, format, and longevity. Library publishing is critical to the expansion of quality diamond (free to author) open access done right: publishing that is robustly discoverable and properly preserved. Librarians play an important role in assuring that publishing programs follow various best practices.

As researchers and other scholars from the South have long been marginalized from Northern systems of knowledge production, it is important that the South self-determine and create its own bibliodiverse systems of knowledge production, particularly as international commercial publishers increasingly exclude many Southern authors who can not pay author fees. Southern publishing and scholarship are tarnished by questionable or predatory publishers who are partially or entirely based in the South and cater to Southern authors who seek familiar publishing outlets or low bars to publication. By offering free to author, high quality publishing options, Southern library publishers mitigate predatory publishing and enhance the reputation of Southern publishing.

Identifying library publishers not included in the Library Publishing Coalition’s Directory or IFLA Library Publishing Map proved challenging. Once Southern library publishers were identified, I examined their websites. This talk will share preliminary data related to scale, geography, platforms, publishing formats, affiliations, indexing, and of greatest interest to this researcher, publisher awareness of best practices guidance, for example, Journal Publishing and Practices Standards or the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing. The speaker hopes that this talk will result in collaborative efforts.

Comments

Presented virtually at the IFLA Library Publishing SIG Satellite, August 19, 2023, Rotterdam.