SPIE to Offer Free Digital Library Access to Selected Countries

SPIE has announced an agreement with the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) to help meet the information needs of scientists in more than 30 countries that are rebuilding research capacity and infrastructure. SPIE will offer its journals and proceedings at low or no cost to INASP partner and network countries with low and lower middle income economies as identified by the World Bank. Researchers in eligible countries in Africa, Asia and South and Central America will be able to download full-text articles from the SPIE Digital Library, including articles from the society's scholarly publications. Eligible institutions include universities, libraries, nonprofit research institutes, teaching hospitals, and others identified by INASP. Access also will be available to health professionals, agricultural extension workers and other professionals with nonprofit status in those countries who are working in remote areas and within research institutes without formal collections, SPIE said. Each country is being offered trial library subscriptions through the end of 2007, and the opportunity to subscribe either for free or for a nominal cost beginning in 2008. The agreement is facilitated by the Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information, which is operated by INASP. For more information, or to check a country's eligibility, visit: www.inasp.info